Everyday actions no matter how simple could play a big role in supporting the global combat towards protecting and preserving our environment and planet earth.
When you start your journey towards living a sustainable life. You realize that it is not as simple, easy or convenient as you would have initially thought it out to be. We are so caught-up in a life filled with conveniences, that to make a conscious everyday change does take effort. But if you are consistent with your own goals to protect the environment and lead a sustainable life. Then within a relative amount of time, the things that you believed to be difficult when you started out this journey ends up becoming a part of your nature and personality.
To start out self-talk yourself in leading a more eco-friendly and sustainable life.
Just like any successful business has a motto or a mission statement.
Mine is “Follow the 4+1 R’s of Sustainable Living: Refuse | Reduce | Reuse | Recycle | Rethink.”
Similarly make one for yourself for your life.
REFUSE:
Single use plastic
The Plastic Straw
Especially when you are in a restaurant ordering a drink, tell the waiter that you do not need a straw. Most drinks can be consumed without the need of a plastic straw whose usage life span lasts for about half hour.
REDUCE | REUSE:
Outdoors: If you do need a straw, then you can always opt to carry your own non-plastic reusable straws. There are various options available in the market ranging from bamboo, silicon and to glass. The cleaning of straws may seem like an inconvenience the day after you have had a fantastic night out with your friends. But this is a necessary action that you need to add in your life to be a more eco-conscious person.
Indoors: If you are ordering food out on apps such as Zomato, then simply click on the option of ‘Don’t Send Cutlery’ to avoid a collection of plastic cutlery n plastic pouches.
If you are throwing a party for a bunch of your friends, avoid plastic straws altogether, no matter how much of a cute factor they may add to your décor aesthetics and photos. It is not necessary. Avoiding them is also easier on your wallet.
REFUSE:
The Plastic Bag
On your grocery trips to the supermarket, when you make small item purchases or multiple items that may not need a plastic bag. Your hands and your everyday bag or purse could fulfill the same purpose of that of a plastic bag.
REDUCE | REUSE:
Outdoors: Always carry a cloth or jute tote bag with you. Keep one in your car, keep one in your purse. Or if you are leaving your home with the intent to go for grocery shopping, carry reusable cloth or jute bags with you.
Use a reusable produce bag for all your loose vegetables and fruits.
If you are shopping and you forgot a reusable bag and got a plastic bag from Shop A, refuse another bag at Shop B and Shop C and continue until the bag reaches its brim. And/or you decide that you should stop shopping for the sake of your wallet.
Paper Bags are just as wasteful a product, so alternating from a plastic bag to a paper bag is just as harmful.
REDUCE:
Your carbon footprint
Your parents throughout your childhood, may have harassed you over not switching off the fan or light when not in use. As you age you recognize that it was sound advice. Not just to save on the electricity bills but also to protect the environment.
Any devices when not in use, switch them off. Lights, air conditioners, television etc. Always make it a point to switch off the power outlets of your kettle, microwave, phone and laptop charger.
Don’t let the engine of your car run, when you are out of the car having a smoke or a chai. It is not necessary.
REDUCE:
Littering
Be it your cigarette buds, the disposable chai cup, chocolate wrappers, tissue papers etc. carry them with you until you find a garbage bin and dispose them off responsibly.
While travelling in trains, always carry a bag with you within which you can collect all the waste that in accumulated throughout your journey and dispose them off at your arrival station in the garbage bin. The same applies for long distance car travels.
Tossing waste out the window is unhygienic and thoughtless.
REDUCE:
Fast Fashion
A lot of clothes nowadays are lowly priced and of a lower quality. The intent is to use them a few times until it is no longer wearable and then be disposed. This leads to excessive waste – wastage of money, resources and energy.
Be mindful of your purchases. Choose to buy clothes that are sustainably made or of a higher quality and lasts for a longer duration of time. H&M has multiple organically made clothing materials; which from my own personal experience I know lasts for years.
REDUCE:
Water Consumption
Take shorter showers
If you prefer to take bath in hot water, then switch on the water heater an hour or less before your shower. It does not need to be on throughout the day and night. By doing so you save on the electricity bill and are using energy responsibly.
Once a week laundry
Collect your laundry such that multiple items can be washed in one machine wash cycle, instead of multiple fewer items over the course of the week leading to wastage of water, increased energy use and water bill.
REUSE:
Jam, Milk Powder and Nutella Containers
All glass containers can be reused. It may be used as storage containers for your kitchen spices, as mugs to drink out of, as a succulent planter, a cutlery container, you could also DIY a candle into these containers and give them out as gifts to your near and dear ones.
REUSE:
Your clothes, shoes, bags etc. that are still in good condition can be reused by another younger member of your family. You could even donate it to charity.
Every six months go through your wardrobe any clothing item that you may know that you no longer use can be given away. It allows for a more clutter-free wardrobe and a better-connected relationship which that one person who gets a load of new items to wear and use.
RECYCLE:
Whatever you can recycle, do recycle
Find out your nearest recycling bins or kiosks.
Collect all the plastic bottles that you may have used and take them to your closest recycling bin once every two weeks or once a month.
Magazines and newspapers that you have read and no longer need should also be recycled.
Appropriate waste segregation leads to easier and efficient recycling.
RETHINK:
The way you live. Be more environmentally conscious, lead a sustainable living. Increase awareness within yourself on how you could live a life with reduced waste and carbon footprint.
Continually and consistently apply healthier more environmentally conscious solutions in your daily life. This will support in sustaining a healthy planet for you today and for the generations that follow you.
