Friends, Do you know what the biggest paradox of our lives is? We have become so engrossed and immersed in our daily lives that our mechanised routines rarely give us the opportunity to take time off them and think. Yes, think about the fact that, we, in our material pursuits have forgotten that these mindless activities have endangered our very existence. Man is a product of the environment. No denying that. But, does he realise the gravity of his actions, which threaten the environment? I guess not. Had that been the case, our environment would not be deteriorating so rapidly, giving ample cannon fodder for doomsday theorists. The need of the hour is to reverse this trend and accentuate the healing process of the environment with our own dedicated efforts. Thats because, if we stay true to our abiding convictions about saving the environment and religiously follow a few simple steps, we can make a big impact. Lets explore a few ways in which we can arrest the slide..

#10-Reduce

Yes, when we say ‘Reduce’, we mean it, in true letter and spirit. Cutting down on profligacy and wastage is one of the key ways to save the environment. Optimising our household requirements and using environment friendly substitutes is the need of the hour.

Reduced dependence on plastic and other non-biodegradable materials constitutes a major component of the ‘reduce’ initiative. This is because, these materials, when disposed off after use, do not degrade easily and persist in the environment for long causing several problems. So, next time you visit the supermarket, insist on cloth bags/paper bags. Buy disposable paper products instead of plastic ones. Buying the optimal amount of household materials, in bulk, is a sure-shot way to reduce wastage.

Reduce your needs. In that way, you reduce the harm to the environment you live in!

#9-Re-Use and Re-Cycle

Re-cycling infuses fresh life and utility into an otherwise useless commodity. In that way, we can efficiently reduce our needs. Re-usable products are available aplenty in the market-place. Its just that we need to improvise and optimise our requirements and use these re-usable products. In fact, one can always donate unwanted goods.

Food can be stored in re-usable containers. Maximum usage of paper as well as recycling it both at office and at home goes a long way in scaling down our overall paper requirement, thereby necessitating lesser number of trees to be felled. One can always re-cycle the biodegradable wastes by composting them and using the same as manure for garden plants, rather than sending them to landfill sites.

The possibilities are literally endless. An entire spectrum of goods including electronics items, metal items, paper, plastic, textiles, etc can be recycled by various methods. Its just that we need to take the first step forward. Believe me, that’d be a huge leap towards environment protection!

#8- Efficient Waste Disposal

We have seen how we can reduce waste from the preceding paragraphs. Now, there are several efficient methods to dispose off hazardous and non-hazardous or organic wastes. As has been said earlier, organic wastes can be converted into compost and gainfully used as manure.

Hazardous household waste materials like lead-acid batteries, other electronic items, paint products, garden chemicals, etc must NEVER be sent to the landfill along with other organic wastes because they may penetrate the soil and pollute it, irreversibly. They must first be segregated and sent to specialised facilities for their safe disposal. Through these facilities, such hazardous materials are disposed of,  safely, by getting rid of their toxicity first and then releasing the by products to the environment, causing minimal damage.

For every problem , there’s a solution. Its just about finding it!

#7- Save Water

“Water, Water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink.”- This adage aptly sums up the quandary the world is in. 71% of the earth’s area is covered by water bodies, yet, fresh water accounts for just 4% of it. Population is growing at a bludgeoning rate. Acute water scarcity affects every continent and around 2.8 billion people around the world at least one month out of every year. Now that is more than twice the entire population of India. It is projected that in a few years time, urban water scarcity would assume menacing proportions.

Therefore, before the precious drops run out, it is quite imperative on our part to follow a few simple steps to ensure that adequate potable water is available for all our fellow beings. We should ensure that the taps and other water sources are kept turned off when not in use. Excessive wastage of water while bathing leisurely must be avoided. Rainwater harvesting goes a long way in reducing the household water demand.

All in all, we must ensure that whenever we use water for our daily requirements, not a drop should be wasted. Water conservation should be done on a priority basis. That is because, a single drop of water swells an ocean!

#6- Each one, Plant one

Needless to say, the green cover on our planet is the single driving force for the continual sustenance of mankind on this planet. If it weren’t for trees, there would be no rain, no shade, no food, no vegetables, or in short, no life. When we mindlessly indulge in felling of trees in our pursuit to create concrete jungles and do not plant them in equal measure, we take concrete steps to dig our own grave.

For each of us to plant a tree and nourish it to growth, it does not take much effort. But, the dividends are big, in the way of the huge favour we do to the environment we live in. Now, the onus is on us! Each one, therefore, plant one!

#5- Enhanced Use of Public Transport

The exhaust from millions of vehicles which ply in every nook and cranny of this planet is almost singularly responsible for a rapid build up in the levels of greenhouse gases and consequent rise in temperatures. Increase in the economic standards has led to a situation in which a developed country like the United States has 899 motor vehicles per 1000 people! The damage caused to the environment is immense,

The need of the hour is for governments to extensively invest in quality public transportation systems. On our part, we must reduce our dependence on private vehicles and switch to public transport (like millions using the Delhi Metro to commute to office each day). In that way, the number of motor vehicles and hence, the emission levels are drastically reduced. Therefore, the ‘greenest’ way to commute is by Public Transport.  The ‘greenest’ is thus, the ‘coolest’.

#4- Green Vehicles

Since exhaust from vehicles is a major contributor to global warming, the research community, across the globe is constantly endeavouring to introduce revolutionary concepts in this field. Green Vehicles are the ‘in’ thing today. Motor vehicles powered by electricity or CNG have become quite popular.

While going for a new vehicle purchase, we must weigh our options in favour of these non-polluting alternatives. Several carmakers like Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra, etc have come up with electric or solar powered vehicles which do a world of good to environmental conservation. Therefore, we must go for these eco-friendly options.

#3- Renewable Energy

Energy is the prime requirement for our lives and for world economies to thrive. Conventional methods of energy generation, barring hydro-electricity, cause irreparable damage to the environment. Thermal Power Plants, in particular contribute significantly to the carbon footprint and release tons of carbon dioxide to the environment, which is quite harmful.

Renewable Energy sources, on the other hand are almost harmless and totally eco-friendly. Such sources of energy like solar power, wind energy, tidal energy, etc are viable alternatives, which are on their way to replacing conventional methods of energy generation.

To aid this cause, we must switch over to renewable energy sources at our level. Solar Lamps, Solar Water Heaters and other such appliances are in vogue now and the government has incentivised their costs by providing huge subsidies. Thus, we must switch over to these ‘clean’ sources of energy at the earliest. ‘Clean’ Energy, is after all, ‘green energy’!

#2- Save Electricity

The bulk of electricity generation is done in thermal power plants which contribute to global warming by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Electricity is so vital to our existence that we cannot make do without it, even for a minute.

Thus, its imperative that we save every unit of electricity because our coal resources, used in thermal power plants, are fast depleting. Certain simple measures like switching off all the electrical appliances when not in use, using Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFLs) instead of incandescent lamps, using energy efficient electrical appliances, etc go a long way in saving this precious resource. A unit saved is a unit generated, after all.

#1- Join Hands- Extensive Campaign

Following just a few simple steps to preserve the environment for the future generations is not just the only thing we need to do. In addition to the steps which we need to take individually, we must also spread the message of environmental awareness in our peer group and the people in our surroundings. We must set an example ourselves, diligently go about the task and exhort others to do the same.

That is because, when people join hands, miracles happen! The environment is in need of a miracle for its revival. It is you, who is going to bring the change. It is you who is going to be the change!