Choosing a sustainable lifestyle...
We do not need to do a grand heroic deed to make a change, a bit by everyone can change our world twice over, believes APARNA KAPOOR
There’s a bad news and good news for us. The bad news is that we are running out of our natural resource, and the good news is that we are at least aware of it! The optimists will agree with me here that being aware of the problem is half the problem solved already. But sadly, we are looking over our shoulders, waiting for others to make a beginning, forgetting that we have already reached the state when every day matters and every effort will go a long way.
Thankfully there are many noble souls working to sustain this planet for our future generations. There are a lot of researches going on, many drives like tree plantation, water harvesting and garbage management taking place. This should intensify in a way that every individual should initiate and integrate a sustainable life, which will help in a way to sustain this planet, sustain life here. It is about time each one breathing here on this planet and mindlessly gulping down the sparkling water from the rivers of this planet realise that we too are a part of this nature and a natural form of life on this planet; if the natural resources run out, so would we. There is no alternative to air, water and food and we better sustain at least those, if not more, because they are the key ingredients for our survival.
Start the eco lifestyle
Everyone has their own lifestyle that mainly thrives on social and financial needs. The way we treat ourselves from the very beginning, we tend to stick to the same lifestyles without giving much of a thought about its consequences. The good is sought and the bad is overlooked and what is sought after is only luxury. This irresponsible way of living leads to an unhealthy life which over a period of time could hamper the physical and mental health of the person as well as doing a larger damage to the environment. The need for luxury is endlessly increasing, creating a burden on our environment and natural resources. This imbalance creates pressure on the resources to fulfill the requirement at every stage of human life.
Whether it is an irresponsible shower you take every day, letting the tap run while brushing, consuming too much electricity, driving alone in a car which can accommodate six, choosing wooden items instead of recycled materials or not separating your wet and dry garbage, you are exerting extra pressure on your Mother Earth to meet your selfish and mindless demands. It is also to be understood that it is because of these actions of ours over centuries, which has led us to a situation where our planet is struggling to hold on.
List it down
As mentioned earlier and hopefully conveyed across now, that every individual effort will go a long way. So let us list out the things we could chip in to do our bit to let our earth breath a bit longer.
Remember the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for everything possible. Use water economically, the 3 R’s applies here too.
Consume electricity sparingly. Use maximum solar energy and effective planning for the buildings to reduce the pressure on the environment by taking artificial aid to make a comfortable atmosphere inside the building. You would reduce the load on your electricity consumption if your buildings are designed keeping in mind the sun and the wind movement. You would not need to switch on the light during the day time if you do.
Invest in a rain water harvesting plant, the first person benefitted would be you!
Carry a shopping bag.
Refuse to use plastic in any form. Prefer recycled products instead of those glitzy plastic ones.
Use a car pool or a public transport instead of a private car.
Plant a tree whenever and everywhere possible.
Grow your own vegetables.
Do not eat anything which does not rot as a basic principle, be organic, eat organic.
Make the place around you as green as possible.
Watch your waste. Separate your wet and dry garbage and try to reduce what you dispose.
Avoid the use of disposable items and use your utensils which produce zero waste.
Why do you need a straw when you can drink directly from the glass? Say no to straws.
It is very easy to make compost out of the wet waste, which is very good for your garden, learn how to make that.
Do not wait for others to start, you be a trend setter for others around you. Motivate and inspire others.
Reach out to the masses
For the betterment of the environment and to uplift the way of living life, it is necessary to put in some conscious effort to change the overall outlook of the urban lifestyle. It needs dedication and discipline on daily basis to upgrade the standard of living in sustainable fashion. Mandatory activities that encourage eco-living within the societies need to be conducted frequently to generate more awareness.
There are two types of people you would need to reach out to:
1 The ‘uneducated’ uneducated – these are the people mostly in the rural part of our country. They are much easier to handle because they anyway believe and live in a simplistic, minimalistic and sustainable lifestyle. All they need to be trained is to handle their garbage and personal hygiene around them. They easily adapt if trained properly.
2 The ‘educated’ uneducated – these are the difficult lot of people to handle. These are those who you see rolling down their car windows and carelessly, shamelessly throwing away a cold drink can or an empty chips poly bag. These people are well aware of all the things mentioned here, but give a damn and feel that it would make no difference if they would chip in for this cause or not. Have patience and ‘re-educate’ them, but do not give up on them, this is the urban crowd which actually has caused this ecological imbalance, so if they decide to change their ways, it would be a big achievement for the mankind. Enough said; it is time for some action now, let us get the ball rolling. Remember – “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”