8 Household changes to make future sustainable #myfriendAlexa

Every counties government is taking many steps in conserving the environment, may it be strict norms for polluting vehicles or complete ban on single use plastic items. All these are necessary as the Eco-system of earth is getting affected by human created waste and negligence towards conserving it, every day we see and hear news about melting glaciers, too much or no rain, high temperatures in places where it was always moderate earlier. The earth is giving us signals and the good news is the relevant authorities are taking swift action to rectify or to control further damage, but can we as in individual as a citizen of the earth do something? Can we amend few of our ways so that we can give a beautiful earth to our coming generations?

Yes of course, here I have listed down 8 such things that if we make amendments in our day to day activities, each one of us can be a crucial part of conserving environment.

 

1. Cloth or Cotton Shopping Bags:

I guess, we all anyways have to start using cloth bags from 2^nd Oct as the single use plastic is getting banned, all over India. As you can get all type of trendy cloth shopping bags in your local market as well as online. Many brands have also come up with bright colored, printed cloth bags. In fact, the grocery store in our locality has started giving cloth bag at 5 rupees, and if you return the bag within 2 days the money would be refunded, so no stacking of these bags at home.

Received this image on whatsApp,

2. Car Pooling:

Pool a car, we have been told this many time by many sources, but we don’t want to compromise on our independence no matter it’s ruining the future of coming generations. Its time to stop being selfish.

Vehicle pollution has the largest contribution in global warming and has maximum carbon footprints, as we burn fuel. We see most of the cars big and small just with one person, so many of them travelling from same source and destination. We must change our attitude; Delhi alone has so many vehicles that many cities together will also not have and that too when Delhi has one of the best public transport facilities to go from one corner to another. Its high time to act not just think, we should not opt for better options only when we are forced by law.

3. Rechargeable Batteries:

We have grown up as a use and throw generation, batteries are no different. With kid’s toys that have lights, music and movement demands 4-5 batteries which not last for more than a week, reusable batteries are not just reducing e-waste but cost saving option too. Even in our remotes we can replace non-chargeable batteries with rechargeable ones, one time cost may be more however the running cost gets reduced.

4. Reusable Water Bottles:
   I remember my train journeys with Grand Parents, wherein we used to carry a water bag, which was filled at the railway stations as and when required, then came a time when plastic water bottle and sealed plastic glasses started to capture the market, but that created more pollution. Convenience has costed us more.

Recently I came across a video shared by Railway Minister, about ban on single use plastic by western railways, sharing it here too.

Twitter: Piyush Goyal

Whenever we go on a road trip, we fill our 6 liters water bottle and steel glasses, that saves our time in halting to buy water, off course it saves cost too. Plus, now a days every other brand that sales water claims to be mineral or pure water, but there is no surety specially the unheard brands we get on highways.

If everyone stops using disposable plastic bottles and starts using reusable water bottles, it will reduce the waste and land pollution by tons.

5. RO Water and Shower / bucket:

Earlier we had only bucket or tub to take bath, then manufactures of bathroom fittings made us realize how inconvenient it is as compared to standing below a shower and enjoy the personal rain fall, eventually buckets are more for storage. If we move back to the bucket and mug, for bathing we can save gallons of water every day.

The second way to stop water wastage is to mop the floor of lobbies and veranda’s rather than washing them.

The third way is to use the RO outlet water, for cleaning washrooms and use in flush. That water is not good for washing clothes or watering plants as it contains lot of toxic impurities, however cleaning of floors can surely be done with it.

We all know that; the future has scarcity of water and every drop saved is important.

6. Eat local and seasonal:

Rather than running behind exotic it’s time to go local. Exploring and enjoying new things to eat is great idea, however for daily consumption local is best. Local food or crops grown as the best suitable for the body. Seasonal Fruits and vegetables are immunity boosting, easy to digest in short best to that weather condition.

These are health benefits, how does it help in making environment better, local food is available right there, it does not have to be transported to reach you, hence reducing the green house emission and contributes to improving carbon footprints. It also helps in boosting local economy and local farmers.

7. Conserve Electricity:

Electricity is among the basic needs for humans now, we can not think of living without it. From sleeping comfortably in the AC or heater, having cold water or keeping food in refrigerator, we extensively use electricity day in and day out, but can we discipline ourselves to switch off appliances as small as fan and light when we are not using them.

Unplug the devices when not using them, sometimes we remove mobiles put on charging but do not switch off the button.

Oven and Refrigerator releases Carbon Monoxide, they are the largest contributor for pollution inside home as well as they have a considerable contribution in increasing our carbon footprints.

8. Say No to Fast Fashion:

The statement “I don’t have anything good to wear today”, is doing more harm than we anticipate. We only heard of harmful health affects of ‘Fast Food’ on our body but ‘Fast Fashion’ has equally alarming effect on the environment.

There is sale for garments everywhere through out the year, garment manufacturers keep pushing products on the same of style, fashion and season, and we fall prey to it. We even judge celebrities if they wear same clothes in two events.

Few of my friends are opting for ‘Minimalist lifestyle’ and I am also planning to go that way.

How do fast fashion affect the environment? Imported clothes and clothes manufactured in another country needs transport through air, land as well as sea hence using lot of fuel and adding up to pollution. Garment manufacturing firms dispose the chemical and dyes used in the ocean.

The changes might be small for an individual however if the entire population decides to take responsibility of their own it will change the entire scenario.

In the recent wake of events at UN Climate Action Summit 2019, where the 16-year-old Swedish activists dared the world leaders and said, “How dare you? we will not forgive you” That’s the voice of generations to come. Before our own kids have to pay the price of our carelessness and taking the nature and its resources for granted let’s plant a tree, Recycle everything and care for future.

If we really care about our future and our planet, we must say No to Plastic. I came across a detailed blog about saying No to Plastic, you can also have a look.

I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

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