7 simple habits to make this planet a greener place

Source: IANSJune 5, 2020

While Government and civil organisations continue to play an important role in providing support to better prepare for more extreme weather and their socio-economic and environmental impact, we are equally responsible to play our role in making this planet a better place and start contributing to the Climate Action with some simple change in habits: Reduce emissions Opt for public transport or pooling whenever possible or use sustainable transportation, such as bicycling more often. In this smart world, make a smart call to choose a new car and bike with a fuel-efficient model that could save on gas and reduce your carbon footprint over the years. In fact this is a very common habit of people in some of the most developed and environment friendly cities globally. No to plastic Plastic never really goes away! This has been said for way too many times now. Today, we can still find billions of pounds of plastics swirling convergences making up about 40 percent of the world’s ocean surfaces. It is high time to start cutting down on plastic waste by using reusable bags when we shop, say no to use and throw water bottles, bags, and straws and avoid products made from or wrapped in plastic. Pay attention to labels From coffee to fruit and vegetables, the number of options out there can give us varieties but doesn’t help us to maintain a good environment. Choose Fair Trade certified goods when possible to support the industry dedicated to sustainable production and paying laborers a fair wage. Switch to organic food to keep harmful pesticides out of our land and water, protecting farm workers, wildlife, and your family. Healthy food and good nutrition are everyone’s concern. Preserve water Water scarcity in India is an ongoing crisis that affects nearly 600 million people each year. On average one person wastes upto 45 liters water per day that is 30 percent of water requirement per person per day. Reduce your water consumption by taking shorter showers, washes, and save on water.

Sustainable clothing/fashion The clothes you wear matter! Despite the rapid change and sustainable adaptions, our fashion and textile industry still has a hugely negative impact on the planet. Most fabrics we wear are synthetics or some despite being natural may consume huge resources. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check the garment tags and go for fabrics that are made using fibers with botanic origins like TENCEL and ECOVERO. These fibers not only contribute in enhancing the aesthetics of the fabric but also bring in a lot of comfort and performance. They provide a less favorable environment for bacterial growth while keeping our skin feeling pleasantly cool and dry. And most importantly, these are 100 percent biodegradable with significantly lesser carbon footprints.

Growing your herbs If you have unused kitchen items or old utensils, such as; old mugs, takeaway food boxes, etc. do not throw them away. You can give a makeover to your space by planting herbs like mint, coriander, parsley, even seasonal window flowers right on your windowsill. Mange and compost kitchen waste In an ideal world, all kitchens would opt for zero-waste cooking. You can always use all the organic kitchen waste to create manure at home for your plants, such as eggshells, fruits, and vegetable peels, used tea leaves, and non-greasy waste. Homemade manure can be prepared in no time to nourish your plants.

It’s time to make such simple habits a key part of daily lives. While they are quite simple, the positive impact it can bring overtime can be amazing.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

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