Namrata Purohit shares some easy tips to help save the environment
An eco-friendly lifestyle means that you’re living a life with the environment in mind. It means that you make decisions based on the outcome that they will have on the environment. Living more environmentally friendly is so important in helping keep the planet clean and safe for wildlife as well as ourselves. There are actually different types of eco lifestyles, and each lifestyle has different factors and motives for going green, which makes them unique in their own ways.
Here are some tips that can help you live the eco-friendly way!
1. Recycle leftover food
Most people don’t realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce. Instead of letting it off to waste, you can segregate the leftover meals and their packaging efficiently, creatively enhance last night’s meal, or simply just redirect it for composting. Planned preparation of meals, can also dial down food wastage.
2. Replace Disposables
Wherever possible, replace disposable products with reusable ones. You can use reusable razors, batteries, ink cartridges (buy refill ink), coffee filters, etc.
3. Avoid Creating Trash
Avoid creating trash wherever possible: when ordering food, avoid receiving any unnecessary plastic utensils, straws, etc. (ask in advance), buy ice cream in a cone instead of a cup, don’t accept “free” promotional products, buy products with the least amount of packaging, etc. Every little bit of trash avoided does make a difference!
4. Reusing expired beer
Beer makes everything fun and hence is on every party checklist. To make the vibe lively, we tend to stock more of what is required, resulting in our party favorite, sinking down in the drain. But make the most of it even when it’s expired. This golden liquid is a flawless hair rinse, replacing frizzy hair with lustrous hair locks. Not only that, but beer can be used in keeping the insects at bay, making precious metals shine, and restoring the shine of your furniture. It’s a win-win hack.
5. Sustainable post-party cleaning
Your party/gathering has come to an end and as the host, you are obviously in charge of turning around that mess. Hence efficiently work towards post-party cleaning with sustainability at the core. Instead of throwing away the decor, consciously choose the items that can be used at the next party as well. Paper wrap delicate dinnerware in a separate box, you can also store those sparkling lights for your next big celebration.
6. Switch off the lights
Make your efforts of leading a sustainable life count, by remembering to switch off the lights, when not in use. It is simple and saves a lot of energy.
7. Carry your own cloth bags
Cloth bags are beneficial for two main reasons: Firstly, they can be reused, thus reducing the waste generated by single-use products. Secondly, they minimize the pollution caused by plastic. Discarded plastic bags take 10 years to 1000 years to decompose. A cloth bag can be used 170 times and it justifies its manufacture.
8. Switch to copper bottles
80% of plastic bottles end up in landfills leaking microplastics into the soil that can contaminate the landfills and groundwater. Drinking water from plastic bottles can release toxic elements in our bodies. On the other hand, the copper containers used since ancient times have innumerable health benefits like boosting immunity and improving bone strength. This should convince you to swap your plastic bottle for a copper one.
9. Use of Menstrual Cups
Ladies can use menstrual cups instead of pads or tampons. The sheer numbers are astounding when you consider that each woman contributes 40 years of garbage to a landfill. So opt for menstrual cups or if that is not practical, choose biodegradable pads or tampon
Changes don’t happen overnight, it takes small steps and conscious decisions to lead a larger-than-life lifestyle, but it is worth the change!
