As the ongoing pandemic has forced us all to stay at our homes to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus, many are finding it tough to remain in isolation for such long periods. But at the same time, a worldwide lockdown has helped to improve the ecological balance of our precious planet. Several places have reported a drastic decline in pollution levels, and for the first time since 2000, the Ganga river water in Haridwar and Rishikesh has been declared drinkable. There has also been a significant decline in greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.
However, just as we started seeing it as an opportunity for our mother Earth to recoup, we soon realized that high demand for the use of disposable gloves and masks has been increasing the concentration of plastic waste over the past few months. The constant need to keep washing our hands frequently, the excessive use of ventilation units in hospitals, etc. have also harmed the environment.
As we can see, just isolating ourselves in our homes isn’t enough to save the environment as it has led to other environmental issues such as higher domestic waste generation, reduction in waste recycling in apartments, and a general increase in consumption levels.
So, we have decided to come up with a series dedicated to “Quarantining in an eco-friendly way” with an attempt to help our readers lead an eco-friendlier lifestyle.
Getting Started:
To lead an eco-friendly life and save our planet effectively and efficiently, we need to have a proper understanding of the environment and how human activities have led to its continuous deuteriation over the years.
Several online platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, etc. provide courses based on environmental science, sustainability, management, etc. to help us understand the importance of saving our environment from further degradation.
One can also go through various blogs and articles available on the internet if they do not wish to enroll for a proper course but still wish to make themselves aware of the ongoing environmental issues and how they can, as individuals, help prevent them.
The Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Mantra:
The basic idea behind all forms of eco-friendly lifestyles is to either REDUCE, REUSE, or RECYCLE the resources we have in our hands. It helps us to allocate and utilize our resources in an efficient as well as rational manner.
Through the medium of this article series on How to Quarantine the Ecofriendly Way, we seek to discuss with our readers the various ways in which they can practice the principles of Reduce, Recycle and Reuse in their daily lives.
REDUCE
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not everyone’s greed.” and this very statement forms the basis for the need to reduce our excessive use of resources for a better tomorrow.
With that in mind, here are some simple yet effective things we can do while we are in isolation to help our planet.
- 1. Washing our Hands the Smart Way:
Adhering to WHO’s advice to wash our hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap, there has been a sudden increase in demand for water, which is already a scarce resource around the world.
Now we cannot ignore WHO’s advice to save water but what we can do is, reduce the wastage of water.
While washing our hands, instead of leaving the water running, we can get our hands wet, squirt soap and scrub them carefully, and after 20 seconds, we can open the tap and rinse off the soap.
Even if the amount of water saved by doing this seems to be very insignificant, it is a very effective method to conserve in the long run.
- Go Herbal:
WHO’s advice to wash our hands frequently with soap has not only led to a rise in the use of water but also the frequent use of commercial soaps usually made up of chemicals which have led to an increase in drain water pollution.
So, instead of going for chemical-based commercial soaps, we can make our DIY herbal soaps. Doing so will not only help us to be more productive while you’re stuck in isolation but also reduce drain water contamination.
- The Sun is Shining and So Should You:
These days, most of us are working/ attending classes online, from our homes. During the daytime, when there is sufficient light outdoors, we can sit in our verandahs instead of staying indoors. Doing so will not only help us bring down our overall electricity consumption but, it will also help us improve our vitamin D level, ultimately reducing the chances of us suffering from any respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
- Be the Chef:
We understand that in such difficult times, there is nothing more comforting than a good meal from your favorite restaurant or takeaway place. But there have been several types of research done on how cooking can be therapeutic and a helpful tool to boost our mood in such trying times. So, next time instead of ordering food, try cooking at home. It will not only reduce the use of plastic packaging in which most of them come in, which ultimately turn into toxic plastic waste once the packaging is removed but also engage in a more productive activity while stuck in isolation.
One can even work on developing a kitchen garden to eat fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables, organic right off their backyard. Find everything you’ll need to build yourself the perfect organic kitchen garden here.
Read Also : Almonds Are Out. Dairy Is a Disaster. So What Milk Should We Drink?,https://greenstories.co.in/almonds-are-out-dairy-is-a-disaster-so-what-milk-should-we-drink/
So, these are some tips and tricks we think you can try out to reduce the wastage of resources and save the planet while you’re helping the human race by staying home.
Stay tuned to know how to be more eco-friendly by recycling and reusing our resources in the upcoming articles of this series.
Until then, stay home, stay safe.
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