July 28th each year is celebrated as World Nature Conservation Day. To put it simplistically it is the care we need to practice protecting the depleting resources. A healthy environment and rich resources are what constitutes the planet that we live on. Even if our billionaires are racing up to space, even for mere 15 minutes joy ride, this is the planet we have and we must ensure that as responsible stakeholders we take care of the resources, diversity, and ecosystems of this planet.
Often you must have come across what can we do? Especially when there is a looming threat of climate change and nations, and institutions are fighting for who gets what in terms of carbon emissions in our atmosphere. There are steps and measures which we as individuals can take up and make a difference in the larger cause. It may be a simple habit to implement in your day-to-day activity which can be a giant leap when it comes to conserving the environment and our habitats.
Home-grown produce
Like the planet, your home can be a mini-ecosystem where you can implement a lot of activities and processes. It can start from maintaining a small kitchen garden which is not only cost-effective but can provide self-sufficient food production. There can be limitations when it comes to space, but we can adapt to convert our balconies or small unit containers to produce our home-grown vegetables, condiments and fruits.
Sustainable diets
Your daily meal consumption can create a huge difference in conserving nature. Diets can leave a huge carbon footprint, so it is advisable to switch to seasonal and local produce in your day-to-day food consumption. There might be a considerable amount of conflict when it comes to switching completely to a plant-based diet, but facts support that cutting down on consumption of animal-based foods can effectively cut down carbon footprint.
Ditching single-use plastic for reusable products
Single-use plastic is detrimental to the environment. Be an old school, switch to stainless steel containers and reusable glassware. Also, instead of throwing away plastic food containers and jars into the garbage, you could reuse them for other purposes, like storing other goods in them, using them as planters or if you are artistically blessed then get creative.
Another good practice can be reusing newspapers for multiple purposes. It can also be great if you replace the use of paper tissues by using hand towels. As simple as it can be, avoid using plastic bags for grocery shopping, shift to cloth or paper bags. The bags are reusable and help a great deal in saving the planet.
Making a bird feeder
Feeding birds is quite vital in the light of winters and other tough seasons. It is good to hang the bird feeder on the balcony or a tree in your garden. One of the most important powers of feeding birds is that it allows people to feel connected to the natural world.
Avoiding cars, if possible
Cars and two-wheelers are the most used mode of transportation. Truth be told when public transport is not a feasible option, possessing a vehicle is the need of the hour. However, it has become the biggest reason behind air pollution. Cities like Delhi suffer each year due to escalating number of vehicles. If there is a need for a car, first consider using a two-wheeler instead-but if you do need to use your car, try carpooling.
It is not a good practice to own multiple cars in a single household. The new cool will be to be an aware citizen who practices goodwill towards the environment rather than simply showing off.
Quit Smoking
It seems like a personal lifestyle choice, but it is no surprise that smoking not only harms your body but the environment as well. It is one of the reasons for releasing toxic air pollutants and cigarette butts left on the ground is a major cause of litter. The toxic chemicals often seep into the soil, waterways and the harm are long-lasting.
Plant a tree and take care of it
It is important to plant a tree, but it is essential to take care of it. It is good to indulge in institutional or communal tree-planting drives. Make sure that you take responsibility for the trees that you plant, encourage taking care of the trees.
The main objective is to consciously promote practices that ensure the protection of the environment and its resources. It is important to be aware as an individual and choose to question overexploitation of all our resources, to reducing non-essential and detrimental activities so that we can all contribute to building a sustainable future. As our father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi iterated, "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed."
