The Indian civilization has a very rich and reverent environmental ethos where Mother Earth in its various forms such as plants, trees, rivers, mountains and more is worshiped. Our resilient cultural values have instilled concern for the environment into our daily lives. It stems from the belief that the universe is made up of five basic elements, namely earth, air, water, fire and space. We worship these five elements (Panch-Bhutas) in their various manifestations such as trees, sky, soil, rivers and mountains; and care for animals. This environmental cultural ethos is one of the best environmental values we can promote in the global community approaching climate catastrophe.
Even the Constitution of India has enshrined these values in the Fundamental Duties chapter, which clearly imposes the duty of every citizen to protect the environment. Article 51-A(g) states: “It is the duty of every citizen of India to protect and enhance the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living beings. ” But the rapid growth of consumerism has created a gap between the ecological value system of Indian culture and its practical adherence. And unfortunately, this gap is widening by the day, leading to a climate emergency. As a result, we have polluted our food, soil, air and even water. According to one study, the average waste production per capita per day in major Indian cities is 0.62 kilograms! The indisputable question is whether environmental degradation is the sole domain of government and the ‘execution’ of its policies; or is it the ‘education of the citizens’? Can I do something on a personal level? Can I reverse this situation? If so, how? This can be done by the citizens by following green habits which are small actionable and achievable steps towards making India a green country.
11 Habits for a Green Nation
Green habits are eco-friendly habits that can minimize the impact of individual actions on the environment and reduce our carbon footprint. Furthermore, it can also help restore our lost balance in the ecology. The following may be the 10 National Green Habits.
Habit of turning off unnecessary electrical equipment
If you ask me what should be a national custom that should be incorporated into school curriculum, home and workplace practice; it is this habit. Do you know that approximately 40% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are emitted from electricity generation? This habit requires us to turn off electrical equipment, appliances, or lights that we are not currently using. These electrical gadgets can be at home, office, public places or any other place. Turning off the lights, equipment, and appliances when you’re not using them is an easy, cost-effective way to reduce your carbon footprint. On average you can save Rs 3240 per capita by switching off 10 lamps! Imagine the total national savings which could be Rs 42400 crores per year.
Minimize your food waste
Did you know that a third of all food worldwide is thrown away? That’s enough to feed 3 billion people! According to a study, the average person in India wastes 137 grams of food every day. That is 0.96 kg per week or 50 kg per year. In India, 40% of food is wasted, which is equivalent to 92,000 rupees per year. You can understand the food waste when you see the food waste in social functions such as weddings and other ceremonies. We can be more aware of our food waste. We need to monitor our portion sizes when ordering from restaurants, make sure your food is served at home, unused and untouched food, and safe food donated to food banks to help those in need.
Habit to save water
We are experiencing a water crisis in which drinking water has become a scarce commodity. The steps may include washing an eco car, showering less, using the leftover water to water the plants, checking the serving area of the glass, fixing a spill immediately if you use it at home, work, or on the go. a public place, turn off running water taps, and so on.
Carry your own reusable carrier bags
If you can carry 250 grams of smartphone, 300 grams of power bank in your pocket and 120 grams of watch, you can certainly take a 30 gram paper/fabric bag with you? Plastic bags are becoming a health hazard. They choke our waterways, pollute our crust and kill our animals, birds and marine life. The best way is to bring your own bag when you go shopping, groceries and other household items.
Get rid of single-use items
A single-use disposable item is intended to be used once and thrown away. Then that item goes to the landfill to increase the burden of the planet. Replace plastic bottles for water, beverages and soft drinks, etc., with reusable metal and/or other sustainable plastic alternatives. Use reusable cups for soda, tea, coffee and other drinks. Personal Care & Toiletries: You can reduce 93% of toothbrush waste by replacing the head of these reusable toothbrush handles.
Compost
It uses the kitchen/organic waste for the soil. Composting is the best way to reduce and reuse, as organic matter makes up 30 to 50% of household waste. Composting also has to be done in the workplace and one has to develop resources and manpower to do it in their office, factory or any other business place. Schools are a good place to work so that the children can also learn these green habits and take them further in their future lives.
Collect seeds at home
One of the easiest ways to get more greenery is to collect seeds from leftover fruits and vegetables and use them to grow plants. You can use these seeds in your pots, gardens or in public parks. Today, a new concept of seed balls has become very popular in which seed is packed in nutrient clay and dried.
Buy local
26% of global greenhouse gases are attributed to the food chain. Processed foods include all foods that have been intentionally altered before we consume them and that have huge environmental costs. Buy locally whenever possible so that your carbon footprint is minimized.
Plant a tree and a forest
It is said that if you want to live even after death, you have to do two things: a) write a book b) plant a tree. Planting a tree is one of the best things you can do in your life for yourself and also to give back to this mother earth. It is the simplest step you can take to heal the planet. If every inhabitant of India plants just two trees a year, we’ll have 280 million trees in a year!
Habit of being paperless
You can reduce paper usage by making a simple habit of printing both the front and back sides of the paper. This requires you to set your default command in your printer to ‘both sides’. Done properly in offices, it can cut your paper bill in half and dramatically reduce our paper demand. You can also replace the use of paper tissues with that of a cloth napkin. Non-paper napkins are durable, easy to wash and much more environmentally friendly than paper tissues.
houseplants
According to ancient Indian wisdom, the Tulsi (Indian basil) plant is always kept at the entrance of every home so that it purifies the incoming air. According to a NASA study, houseplants can remove up to 87 percent of airborne toxins in 24 hours! They can increase productivity by up to 15 percent, reduce stress and improve your mood. This custom requires that we have a personal sanctuary of plants in our home.
The writer is an interior designer. She is also an environmentalist and co-author of a book called ‘Gift Lungs to Future Generations’. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views of this publication.
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