In day-to-day life, we use a lot of products which are detrimental to the health of the planet. Our conscious decision to turn over a new leaf will certainly give a better life to the posterity
United Nations Climate Report recorded the last decade as the hottest decade in human history. We read about climate change and global warming and how it can lead to glaciers melting and islands sinking. Most of us are aware of the problem. Question is what we can do. Posting climate change photos on social media? Switching off lights for one hour and calling it Earth Hour? Dispose of waste properly? Ban single-use plastics? Are these all or can we do more and take constructive action? Very often, we limit ourselves to this tokenism as we don’t know what to do? What can we as children, youth, and responsible citizens of this country do every day to save our environment?
One of the biggest contributors to climate change is the textile industry. We all regularly wear jeans. You would be shocked to know that it takes 7,600 litres of water to produce one pair of jeans! This is due to the fact that the amount of water required to grow cotton for your jeans is exorbitantly large. Considering each of us owns multiple pairs of jeans, we are continually wasting thousands of litres of water! So what can you do instead? Try to look for sustainable fabrics of jeans before purchasing. There are multiple brands that are recycling the water they use for more productive uses. So giving a thought before buying your favourite denims could help save a lot of water!
The meat industry, particularly beef, is another major source of fossil fuels. Many studies have indicated that approximately 60 per cent of all greenhouse gases from food production come from the meat industry. Food production itself is responsible for almost one third of all greenhouse gases produced by humans and producing animal food results in twice the amount of emissions as caused by plant-based foods. Rise in demand for meat production requires a large quantity of pastures leading to more forests to be cleared for grazing of cattle or growing animal feed. When animals feed on plants, they emit toxic greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide due to widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the growth of plants. Meat as a food item is less efficient than plants as animals require more biomass to feed to give the same amount of calories. So, what can we do? While dietary choices are personal, we should know that being vegetarian and consuming more fruits and vegetables is more climate friendly. So why not adopt healthier diets now and live longer later?
Many among us would be shocked to know that our bathroom to contribute to climate change. Skincare and hygiene products like scrubs and toothpaste contain microbeads. These microbeads eventually land up in oceans and seas, where these insalubrious products are consumed by marine animals.
Lastly, although this may seem counterintuitive, a green lawn is actually not ecologically sustainable. Maintenance of these green lawns requires lawn mowers and leaf blowers which are powered by gasoline with two stroke and four stroke engines. Fuel doesn’t combust completely in these engines and results in release of toxic gases in the air. A four stroke lawn mower produces carbon emissions equivalent to a vehicle that has travelled 500 miles! So how can one make a green lawn sustainably green? You can start using electric engines instead as they are easier to maintain and have a lower carbon footprint. You can also diversify your green lawn with creepers and mosses!
This year’s theme for World Environment Day is “Only One Earth”. So we as students, youth, adults, leaders and responsible citizens of our society, country and the world need to work towards rethinking, reworking and retrying new sustainable alternatives.
(The writer is a young climate activist)
