5th June is celebrated as World Environment Day. Majorly, this day is celebrated to create awareness about the environment and things related to it. Some people plant trees, walk on parades and do certain stuff exclusively on this day to show their support. But, on other days, they forget about their responsibilities.
People think that it’s the government’s (governing body of the respective country) job to look after the environment. Or, people say that it’s complex to save the already damaged environment and their contribution will not do anything.
I believe it’s not the job of a single entity to save or keep the environment clean, but we should all contribute towards the environment. Because A stitch in time saves nine.
This blog post will highlight some easy ways by which you can keep the environment safe (on your level).
Table of Contents
Let’s take a look at them:
1:Turn off the lights during daytime
This simple way can save a lot of electricity. Whenever you leave a room, or during day time make sure to use sunlight rather than tube light or bulb. This way you are not putting any extra load on the power station, saving some energy and reducing pollution.
A simple math is, when you use less electricity or use electricity wisely, there will be less demand and less fossil fuel will be burned. This simple way saves the environment.
2: Keep Ac on a higher temperature
This may come as a surprise to some people, but you can actually save a lot on your electricity bills if you use your AC (air conditioner) at higher temperatures.
People believe that keeping Ac at 16-17 deg C will make their room cool faster, but in fact, it’s putting an extra burden on the compressor. To cool the room, the compressor has to work harder and hence utilize more energy. When AC is kept at 24 deg C or more it cools normally, and the compressor won’t have to take an unnecessary load.
Also, this would mean less carbon dioxide emission.
Ac contributes to 1950 million tons of carbon dioxide annually and with a simple step you can reduce this number.
The Indian government has recommended keeping the temperature of the AC at 24 deg or more. I am sure, other countries have similar recommended settings.
An easy way to keep the house cool is by coating the roof with white color (or water proofing) and increasing the green cover.
3: Making compost out of kitchen waste
I am sure, every kitchen has tons of waste. Like vegetable scrap, fruit waste, eggshells, etc. You throw them right? What if I tell you, you can use that waste and make compost out of it.
Making compost is actually very easy. I will share a way I use: You need your kitchen waste, add some soil to it, then add some dry leaves and keep it in a pot or container, making sure to cover it. You can repeat this step by adding kitchen waste and mixing it well. After a few weeks, the compost will be ready. Which can be used for plants and trees.
If you don’t have plants with you, you can dig a ditch and put all your kitchen waste into it. This is an effective way to make top-quality soil.
Make sure, it doesn’t contain any plastic or other things.
This next way will tell you what to do with plastic waste
4: Recycling plastic
I personally feel that plastic is a menace, and it’s hard to escape it. So hard that India produces 3.4 million tons of plastic waste in a year and only 30% is recycled.
Plastic should and can be recycled easily. Just make sure, you don’t throw it randomly. It should be disposed of properly. Even the best out of waste can be done with plastic waste. Like, You can make an automatic water sprinkler with a plastic bottle, it is great for watering plants when you are away. You can make pen holders or similar creative things with plastic bottles.
Globally 50 million metric tons of e- waste is generated every year, out of which only 17 % is recycled. This e-waste contains raw materials like gold, silver, copper, etc. of value 60 billion USD.
Speaking of creative things, it reminds me of something.
5: Carry a bag when you are outside
This may sound weird, but carrying a cloth bag is a very effective way to save the environment. I don’t know about other countries but in India, if you go to a sabzi mandi (vegetable market) you will be given a polythene with every vegetable. This means if you buy 10 items = 10 polythene. Later these polythene are thrown away and stray animals like cows eat them in the hope of food or polythene increases the pride of roads.
This can be stopped if you carry a cloth bag with you. It’s simple, light, and cost-effective. And not just fruits and veggies, other items (minus liquid) can be carried in a cloth bag.
You don’t need to waste money on a cloth bag, you can make that easily with old jeans, clothes, etc.
I think the best habit is how we use our old stuff effectively, instead of throwing them away or buying things which we don’t really need.
6: Carry your personal items
If we talk about buying things that we don’t need then there’s a tiny thing that people buy and that’s actually causing pollution. But, what if you carry something of your own to avoid that?
Like you can carry your own utensils, I mean why not. Utensils like cups, steel glass, and even steel straws. Even carrying your own water bottle is a great idea. This way you won’t be needing any unnecessary plastic. You know plastic can harm you as well? We shall discuss that in a separate blog post. But understand this, the more you buy certain things, the more waste is generated and the harder it gets to manage it.
In India, a simple way to vanish waste is to burn that. This is due to illiteracy. And, this creates air pollution, or if these things are thrown into water bodies, they contaminate the water body.
At least 14 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean everywhere. It not only contaminate the ocean but also a reason for extinction of several marine species.
If you think carrying steel glass is difficult then always ask for a cup made of mud, which is decomposable.
7: Sharing is caring
But sometimes carrying personal stuff can be avoided. Like, you can avoid taking your own car and share a ride or go by bus or walk to that place (well, yes I’m still a health blogger).
This way you are saving fuel, contributing to less emission of gases. Even if you are using an EV, you can still save energy by using it when needed. Fewer vehicles will also mean less traffic, less noise pollution, and better air quality.
8: Reduce, reuse and refuse
You know to make a ton of paper 17 trees are cut down for it. The tree died for your diary, but now it’s up to you how you use that paper effectively.
Instead of buying fancy papers and diaries, old paper can be used for writing. I generally collect pamphlets and use them for printing or writing. Similarly, old newspapers can be used for packing instead of gift wraps.
When I was a child I used to throw away papers or make airplanes with them, now when I see a kid doing that, I feel very sad. We should understand the importance of paper.
Instead of buying green we should focus on buying less.
Paper can be used in multiple ways and even can be recycled. This small way can conserve trees.
ChatGPT and other AIs
Now wait, before you think that I will encourage you about the utility of ChatGPT or its features. This blog is still about the environment. I am sure, you have used ChatGPT or any other AI and asked it tons of questions. But, do you know for a typical conversation with ChatGPT it drinks 500 ml of fresh water?
That’s right ChatGPT needs water to cool down its servers. Now, that I have told you this it’s up to you how you process this information.
1 of 2 things will happen, either your thirst for knowledge will end, or ChatGPT’s thirst for water.
9: Ideas by the readers
In the end
We have learned some easy and effective ways to keep our environment safe. I believe these ways won’t affect the lifestyle much but can put a positive impact on the environment. We need to understand that for a better future, everyone needs to play their part.
I have shared some easy ways, follow them and if you are already following them then you are a superhero.
Also, I am keeping the 8th point empty for the readers. You can share your ideas, ways, and things that you believe can be done for the environment.
You can check out my last year’s blog to learn a few more effective ways to save the environment.
Until next time, keep shining
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