A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose!

Things are as they are, not as they should be!

G is for… Go Green

a-to-z-letters-g
‘Go Green’ is the buzzword of our times. Go Green is the mantra that is used everywhere, right from fashion, food, technology, health, travel… Go Green means changing one’s lifestyle for the safety and benefit of the environment. go-green

Because of globalization, the world is becoming smaller and smaller  and the lives of people (plants, animals and ecosystems) are linked with each other. Toys made in China can affect the quality of life in Europe, pesticides used in Bolivia can affect the health of people in US and and greenhouse gas emissions from Australia can affect a diminishing rainforest in Brazil.

While it is easy to say that it is not impacting me right now, but it does. Everything that we do every day has an impact on the planet, which can be good or bad.

No action is too small. Even if everyone made a few small changes in their lifestyles, it all adds up to help our environment. Each one of us can do something to help conserve and make our planet and it’s environment more friendly for us and our future generations.

Here are some simple things we can do to Go Green:

  • Laptops require fewer materials to make and although they may seem expensive, they use up to 90% less energy than desktop computers.
  • When using cooling systems, minimise the area being cooled. Close doors to areas not being used.
  • Fixing even a tiny leak in a toilet cistern might save 36 litres of water every day.
  • Reduce waste by avoiding one-piece disposable razors. Choose a quality razor with a disposable blade instead.green-tree
  • Driving at 60 km/hour in third gear uses about 25% more fuel than driving at the same speed in fifth gear.
  • Some of the advantages of using public transport is that you can work on a laptop, read or meditate while travel.
  • Cycling reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and the most common form of diabetes.
  • Cut back on the use of disposable products. If the styrofoam cups used in Australia each year were placed end to end, they would circle the world ten times.
  • Eat seasonal, local, organic foods — you can enjoy fresher, tastier foods and improve your personal health.
  • Cook food which has ‘quick and easy’ recipes or which is a ‘meal in minutes’. This one is my favorite for a lot of reasons.

Experts say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit- that’s only 3 weeks to a healthier living. By practising the 3 Rs : Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, we can leave a green footprint on our Earth.
Reuse_Reduce_Recycle
What are the Green choices you have made in your life?

For some more food for thought on this subject, do read Vidya’s post : Going Green

Reference : 1001 Easy Ways for Earth Wise Living & Images : Google Images

88 Responses

  1. Relevant issue in today’s times!
    Another point is Water Purifiers. These days many people use RO based water purifiers which waste as much as half the water. The waste water must be collected and used for mopping, etc.
    Second is technology waste. Buying latest gadgets is common these days. We should be prudent in upgrading too frequently. We are just adding to the e-waste.

    1. You have shared a very important and valid example, Reema. I have a friend who collects this waste water from RO and uses it to water the plants or for mopping as you suggested! Yes, reducing the e-waste is so important but it is ever increasing with technology become obsolete so fast!

    2. I do it too 🙂 But I am not sure yet about watering plants with that water because it has an imbalance of minerals. So, I don’t put that into my plants but many people do that.
      Besides, when I read more and more about reusing and recycling, I can’t help thinking about the way our grandparents and parents used to live. Recycling was a way of life. Do you remember the assorted dabbas and jars in kitchens, which have been replaced by identical, bought over containers in our case? Well, we are following Western people, and they are teaching us the old things again. Life is coming full circle!

  2. We save the shower water and use it to refill the toilet cistern. Troublesome, but virtuous!! Even in Ireland we have water shortages – the real problem is antiquated pipes leaking. That is the public service’s job…

  3. Shilpa,,This is a very informative and enlightening post. All the precautionary measures given by you are practical, but unfortunately people do not adhere to them.

  4. This is a G for Great post! Gaea (mother earth) thanks you. It has also made me think about questionable habits. So I thank you too.

    From the A-Z neighborhood,
    D is for Deecoded

  5. A great post regarding the biggest concern of our times. I have been always doing my bit in what I can consider “my service to mankind”. Besides being disciplined ourselves we can teach healthy/civic habits to the next generation as well. Guess we all need to be in it together!

    Good work!!

    kajalkapur.blogspot.in

  6. This would have been my alternate choice of ponder if I were not doing the crazy ‘verse’ thing 😉 Great advice. “Precycling” is something else we can get into – by looking for uses in the stuff we already have, instead of going and buying more:-) Thank you. Laxmi

    1. Aha! But your verses are so very ingenious! Really admire your skill! 🙂
      That is a very valid point, Laxmi… I guess Vidya also mentioned this in her post about window shopping and buying only when it is definitely needed! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  7. My theme is the same for G 😀 I am adding your post in my “I recommend” today 🙂 You are right about the “no action is too small!”

    😀

  8. You are choosing informative and time relevant topics for your challenge, shilpa.YEs, a little change goes a long way. A need of the moment post. Good going…..

  9. That is lovely thoughtful post… ! If we all start thinking just a tad bit extra and worry about the generations to come ! We really could make a big big difference ! I hope lots of people realise that… I will share your post ! Lets get more readers 😀

    1. Well said, Dhiren!! Going Green has to become a habit with each one us. And small changes in our day to day life can bring about a big change. Thanks a lot Dhiren, appreciate the gesture 🙂

  10. Very informative post. I could never understand why the old glass milk bottles got replaced by plastic – it’s the same in NZ. All this drive about go green and the one thing “green” that we had all along gets replaced.

    1. Yes, even we see a change in milk packaging here. I read that we should say NO to take-away containers too. It was suggested that we should carry our own containers from home when getting food from a restaurant.

    1. With technology ruling our lives now-a-days, wonder how the gadgets and their batteries are disposed. Though telecom companies urge the customers to deposit their old mobiles etc with them so that they can help dispose them the green-way! It is said that if these are not disposed off properly the lead, mercury, arsenic from these batteries could be released in air or underground water which could have serious toxic effects on our health!

  11. I use paper bags or cloth bags . Take them to market
    Just yesterday I was thinking how much plastic is piling up 🙁 In malls u cannot avoid taking them
    Plastic is not perishable ! Don’t know why usage of brown bag or paper is not seriously implemented
    Few other things I follow
    Shutting down lap top / desk top!
    After putting eatables out from the fridge I let them warm up so that less time is needed to heat 🙂
    Thanks for this post and great tips

    1. That’s the way to go, Afshan. Incidentally, plastic bags are banned in Jaipur and on all hill stations. So we carry cloth bags everywhere. In fact Reliance Fresh and Easy Day, which is a Bharti-Walmart venture has stopped giving paper bags to carry back the groceries. And at Westside, you have buy the paper bag. Though Lifestyle continues to pack our goodies in outrageously big bags!
      yes, shutting down rather than keeping them on standby mode and even for microwaves, TV… switching off the main plug is the best practice.
      Even I take out stuff from the fridge earlier. Thanks for sharing your tips, Afshan 🙂

  12. We have recently started recycling. It felt like a HUGE job before but since the rhythm has set in, it has become very rewarding. Our wastage of food has also gone down a lot.

    1. Thanks for adding a new dimension to the discussion, Usha. Respecting our resources and utilizing them optimally is so very badly needed in today’s times!

  13. Excellent green tips. But I wonder how we can meditate, read in public transport. I mean, I might consider myself lucky if I manage to get out in the right station!! 🙂 Of course, traveling in public transport in off-peak hours is a good idea. I guess using two wheelers (that give a decent mileage) or electric cars might also be a good idea. What happened to renewable energy? No mention of it??

    Destination Infinity

    1. Aha1 You can meditate and read while travelling! Reading while travelling though is not good for eyes but I read the fastest and meditate the bestest when traveling! 😀
      Electric cars are a good option too. These ten suggestions mentioned here are not even the tip of the iceberg, Rajesh! There are a million things that we need to do save our planet. Since you are working on renewable energy project, would love to read your post on the same. I guess, you have already done that on your blog! 🙂

  14. I actually have a T-shirt with that caption :). I agree with you and do a lot of green things in my own house including reducing waste. Nice post!

  15. A very thoughtful and environment centric post. Loved your list and would apply in my life to. I always try to play my miniscule part in keeping the environment clean, green, and safe.

    1. i utilize the other side of the paper too when i need to take a print.
    2. i carry my own bag. i try not to use those polythene bags esp. when i am buying something from the grocery shop/ vegetable market.
    3. switch off the light, fan etc when not required.

    few other things are also there which right now is not there in my mind.

  16. Thank you for this post Shilpa. SO needed and so relevant.
    I use cloth bags and carry them when I go grocery shopping. We use the non drinkable water that comes out of the Aqua guard and put it in our washing machine or to water our plants.

  17. Where I live in Mexico, recycling is not a thing people do down here. Only recently have I seen major food markets put up recycle bins for plastic and paper. And people don’t care that their cars release CO2 into the atmosphere which explains why we have so much pollution.

  18. I use cloth bags for buying groceries/vegetables etc. I power down my laptop each night and switch off the power button of television and not just by using the remote. I walk to places close by instead of using a two wheeler.

    As always such a wonderful post Shilpa 🙂 so very relevant..

    1. You are doing your bit towards the Go Green mission, Vinita! Simply awesome! Walking short distances has twin benefits… health and saving the fuel and thereby resources! Glad you liked this post! 🙂

  19. My husband is a crusader fir the Green. He specializes in Effluent and Waste water treatment, It is job to clean all the dirty water , recycle it and turn it into good potable water which is used to for watering the garden, cleaning cars etc., and the toilet. He has been saving so much water for Bangalore, both for the industries , big / small apartment complexes etc.
    He says the amount of water wasted everywhere , that soon a time will come when there will be not water left. He hates any kind of wastage. However, one man cannot save the world, each of us must be aware of the situation and act responsibility to save our environment.
    Waiting for the next letter.

    1. Aha! That’s simply a noble profession. Admirable work your hubby is doing, Rama! True, one man can’t do it alone, it has to be a collective action! Thanks for sharing on the topic 🙂

  20. This post is so relevant in our times. There has been more than enough said about it, but I guess it is never enough in a place like India.
    I try to do my bit, but unless each individual takes this as his/her responsibility and give up the ‘chalta-hai’ attitude, not much is going to change.

    1. True, the chalta hai attitude is rampant everywhere! And once that goes and awakening happens, then only things would turn around but till then each one of us should do our bit at our homes and surroundings. 🙂

  21. And using public transport or car pool will reduce the no.of cars on the road. Very informative post Shilpa. I always carry a jute or paper bag in my bag, so that when I shop for groceries, I don’t have to take their plastic covers. These posts got me reminded of my ABC challenge which I took so long to complete!

    1. Car pools is a wonderful idea, I hope it gains more acceptance. We have so many people working in the same company and staying in the same apartment complex, still everybody goes to the same office in their own cars. It is a criminal waste of fuel.
      I remember your ABC Challenge, which was simply fab. This A to Z challenege is a time bound activity… blogging from A to Z in April. 🙂

  22. “G”reat post. Just what we ought to focus on. What many schools (and informal kiddie sessions) do is to educate children as young as 3 or 4 to start using stainless steel tumblers, have 2 lunchboxes instead of 1 dozen, not waste water, ask mumma to carry a cloth bag etc. It helps. And hopefully our great-grandkids will have a planet to live on 🙂

  23. Go green!! yay!! I recycle everything and anything called paper or plastic and that’s not in use. We have to take it to a special recycle bin the Apartment Complex, but I don’t mind taking the extra pain once a week. I keep a separate bin the balcony for it. The rest of them, I don’t 🙁 Have to follow at least one or two..

  24. What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It positively useful and
    it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to contribute &
    help different users like its aided me. Great job.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.