Indian civilization has a very rich and respectable environmental ethos where Mother Earth is worshiped in her various forms like plants, trees, rivers, mountains and much more. Our resilient cultural values have inculcated a sense of caring for the environment in our daily lives. It stems from the belief that the universe is made up of five basic elements, earth, air, water, fire and space. We worship these five elements (pancha-bhutas) in their various forms like trees, air, soil, rivers and mountains; and take care of the animals. This eco-cultural ethos is one of the best environmental values we can inculcate in a world community that is nearing a climate catastrophe.
Even the Constitution of India has established these values through the chapter on Fundamental Duties which clearly confers on every citizen the duty to protect the environment. Article 51-A (g), states that “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living beings.” However, due to the rapid growth of consumerism, there is an emerging gap between the environmental value system of Indian culture and its practical pursuit. And sadly, this gap is widening day by day leading to climate emergency. As a result, we have polluted our food, soil, air and even water. According to a study, the average waste generation per person per day in major Indian cities is 0.62 kg! The important question is whether environmental degradation is the sole area of government and the ‘execution’ of its policies; Or is it ‘education of citizens’? Can I do something on a personal level? Can I reverse this situation? If yes, how? This can be done by citizens following Green Habits which are small actionable and remarkable steps towards making India a Green Country.
11 Habits for a Greener Nation
Green Habits are environmentally positive habits that can reduce the impact of individual action on the environment and reduce our carbon footprints. In addition, it can also help restore our lost balance in the ecology. The following may be 10 national green habits.
The habit of turning off unnecessary electrical appliances
If you ask me what should be a national habit that should be inculcated in school-curriculum, practiced at home and workplace; That’s the habit. Did you know that about 40% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are emitted from electricity generation? This habit requires that we turn off electrical appliances, appliances or lights, which we are not currently using. These electric gadgets can be at home, office, public place or any other place. Turning off lights, appliances, and appliances when you’re not using them is a simple, cost-effective way to reduce your carbon footprint. On an average you can save Rs 3240 per person by switching off 10 bulbs! Imagine the total national savings- which could be Rs 42400 crores per year.
reduce your food waste
Did you know that one third of the food in the world is wasted? This is enough to feed 3 billion people! According to a study, the average person in India wastes 137 grams of food per day. i.e. 0.96 kg per week or 50 kg per year. 40% of food is wasted in India, which is equivalent to Rs 92,000 crore annually. You can get an idea of the food wastage by looking at the food wastage on social functions like marriages and other functions. We can become more aware of our food waste. We should check our portion sizes while ordering in restaurants, check our food served at home, donate unused and untouched and safe food to food banks to help those in need.
water saving habit
We are facing a water crisis where drinking water has become a scarce commodity. Steps include eco-car wash, reduce shower usage, use leftover water for watering plants, check serving portion of glass, fix leaks immediately if noticed at home, workplace or public place could. Closed running water tap and so on.
Carry your own reusable carry bag
If you can carry a 250g smartphone, a 300g power bank in your pocket and a 120g watch with you, you can surely carry a 30g paper/cloth bag with you? Plastic bags are becoming a health hazard. They are blocking our waterways, polluting our earth’s crust, killing our animals, birds and marine life. The best way is to carry your own bag when you go shopping for groceries and other household items.
Get rid of single-use items
A one-time disposable item is thrown away after using it once. Then that object goes to a landfill to add to the burden of the planet. Replace plastic bottles for water, beverages and sodas with reusable metal and or other durable plastic alternatives. Use reusable cups for soda, tea, coffee and other beverages. Personal Care & Cosmetics: You can reduce 93% of toothbrush waste by simply replacing the heads on these reusable toothbrush handles.
Fertilizer
It is using kitchen/organic waste for soil purpose. Composting is the best way to reduce and reuse, as organic material comprises 30 to 50% of household waste. Composting should also be done at the workplace and one should develop the resources and manpower to do so at his office, factory or any other commercial place. School is a good place to work so that kids too can learn these green habits and carry them forward in their lives.
collect seeds at home
One of the simplest ways to grow 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 public parks. A new concept of seed balls has become very popular these days, in which the seeds are wrapped in soil with nutrients and dried.
buy local
Food chain supplies account for 26% of global greenhouse gases. Processed foods include any food that has been intentionally altered before we consume it and has a huge environmental cost. Buy local wherever possible so it can reduce your carbon footprint.
plant a tree and a forest
It is said that if you want to live even after death, 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 to give back to yourself as well as to this Mother Earth. This is one of the easiest steps you can take to heal the planet. If every citizen of India planted only two trees in a year, then we would have 280 crore trees in a year!
paperless habit
With a simple habit of printing on both the front and back of the paper, you can cut down on paper use. For this you need to set your default command as “both side” in your printer. If implemented properly in offices, it can cut your paper bill in half and significantly reduce our demand for papers. Also, you can replace the use of paper tissue with cloth napkins. Non-paper napkins are durable, easy to wash and much more eco-friendly than paper tissue.
indoor plants
According to ancient Indian wisdom, the Tulsi plant (Indian Tulsi) is always kept at the entrance of every house so that it can purify the incoming air. According to a NASA study, houseplants can remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours! They can increase productivity by up to 15 percent and reduce stress levels and elevate your mood. This habit requires that we have a private sanctuary of plants in our home.
The author is an interior designer. He is also an environmentalist and has co-authored a book titled ‘Gift Lungs to Future Generation’. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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