We have been hearing news on global warming, climate change and pollution every now and then, but are we concerned about it? There are only a few people who take it seriously and work to save the planet. What we should realise is that we solely depend on this planet for living and that’s why we should take responsibility to save our planet. You don’t have to take big steps even small steps would impact the health of our environment. Here are 5 easy habits to avoid for saving the planet.
1 Wastage of water
Many of us are blessed with the availability of water and tend to use it the way we want. According to WWF (World Wild Life Fund), 1.1 billion people lack access to water, 2.7 billion people face water scarcity at least once a month a year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may be facing water shortagesAvoid wastage of water by ditching few habits like leaving the faucet running while brushing your teeth or washing dishes, taking a nice bath under a shower or in a bathtub filled with a lot of water. Soaking dishes before washing them or just taking a bucket of water for a bath will help conserve water. Avoid using washing machines and dishwashers as it uses thousands of gallons of water every year.
2 Wasting Paper
Paper is used for many purposes, your writing pad, packages, bills, newspapers, toilet paper etc. The resource for paper is from trees and other plants, with the increased usage of paper, trees are being cut down to supply the demand leading to changes in the ecosystemAvoid using paper wherever possible like when you can go for digital e.g. bills and other documents, get them by email. Avoid using paper towels for wiping dishes, instead of post notes, use a whiteboard, while printing or writing, do it on both sides of the paper. Recycle your paper as well as buy recycled paper.
3 Buying Single-Use Plastic
Plastics are a major environmental pollutant, only a small percentage of them are recycled. The majority of plastics would likely end up in landfills, the environment and oceans which in turn enters our body through the food chain. Avoid using plastic bags or buying single-use plastic like package water bottles, plastic-packaged food etc. Purchase reusable and sustainable items e.g. replace plastic bottles with steel-made bottlesAvoid getting grocery bags by carrying reusable cloth bags
4 Commuting
Travelling is one of the biggest polluters of the environment, be it taking a flight occasionally or commuting on a daily basis. It won’t be possible to avoid travelling but you can avoid certain things like taking your car every day to work. Instead, you may consider taking public transport, carpooling with work colleagues on alternate days (on better times after the pandemic) and if possible walking or cycling instead of using vehicles. This will not only save your fuel but also somewhat reduce air pollution too.
5 Over-using of Energy
The primary environmental effect ofenergy overuse is an increase in your carbon footprint. An increase in electrical use may increase the amount of greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere. Avoid using electrical appliances where there are alternatives for it like washing machine, dishwasher or even air conditioners. Avoid using electric bulbs and switch to LED. Unplugged any electrical appliances when they are not in use, this will reduce energy usage and ultimately your electricity bill too.
Let’s try avoiding all these habits that aren’t environment-friendly as much as possible. It’s time we do a bit for our planet and stop taking it for granted.