Living an eco-friendly, sustainable life is the best practice we can undertake to save our planet. It requires some sacrifice and positive actions on our part. But going green all at once is almost an impossible task for anyone.
The right way to do it is by taking a pledge to make a new healthy change every month. If you do that for just a year, you’ll be amazed at your contribution toward a cleaner and greener environment and set an example for others to follow. Tips For Living Green / Th e 4 R’s The key elements for green living are: Rethink, Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle.
How these fundamental rules can help you in saving Mother Nature is explained below:
• Rethink: Awareness is the foremost step in this concern. So before buying any product, carefully analyze how green it is. When we stop buying products that are harmful for the environment, companies will stop manufacturing them.
• Reuse: There are many things which can be reused instead of being thrown away. So, before you decide to throw something away, think carefully how it can be reused. Reusing a plastic bag or turning over a piece of printing paper and printing on the other side makes a big difference to our environment.
• Reduce: Reduce your consumption of water, electricity and gasoline to whatever extent possible and avoid unnecessary waste of these resources.
• Recycle: Lastly, recycle as much as possible. The recycling process helps conserve raw materials and energy that manufacturers would otherwise use in producing new products. It also helps lessen the pollution that may result from waste disposal. Recycling keeps plastics and glass out of our landfills. Plastics can take over 400 years to biodegrade and glass can take up to one million years. Some daily good habits that you can cultivate to reduce your environmental impact in the home, at work and in business are given below:
• Start by purchasing organic (naturally grown) fruits and vegetables. No pesticides are used in growing them so they are generally better for the environment.
• Cut down on fuel usage. Try walking short distances instead of taking your car. Consider carpooling or taking public transportation systems, such as buses or trains whenever you can. This can help to reduce air pollution to a great extent. And if you need to purchase a new vehicle, consider getting a green one.
• Recycle household items. Give away or donate old clothes and items. Also use rechargeable batteries.
• Use your own canvas bag every time you go for grocery shopping. Do not accept the plastic or paper bags that the store offers.
• Investing in water-saving showerheads can help you conserve water and simultaneously reduce your water bill.
• Consider buying things in bulk. It saves you money and requires less packaging materials.
• Save energy by installing a programmable thermostat to heat and air condition your home.
• Use light bulbs that are Energy Star CFL.
• Pure soap is biodegradable and breaks down completely. Choose a soap that is pure. Avoid soaps with synthetic scents or colors. Though there are countless other ways to help protect the environment, you can start by undertaking the above mentioned tips and start toward making the earth a better place to live.
Source: benefits-of-recycling.com
