Worried About Climate Change & Sustainability? Here’s How You Can Do Your Bit (And, It’s Not Much Effort)

Pollution, water contamination, and climate change are for real. Looking at these environmental issues, we can say that we have long been abusing our environment. But now it’s high time that we take some steps to arrest the damage and undo what has been done wrong. 

Although the responsibility of keeping the environment clean and green lies on the civic bodies, we, by taking some small steps, can contribute to keeping our planet clean. 

Here is how we can do our bit:

• Bid adieu to single-use items 

Single-use products, especially those made up of plastic, harm the environment in many ways. Plastic straws, disposable cups, plastic bags, plastic water bottles, and disposable razors pollute the land and the water bodies killing millions of animals and birds every year.  

Switching to reusable products can be a potent step in keeping the environment sterile. Try to keep your life as much plastic-free as possible. Switch to steel straws, water bottles, grocery bags made from cloth, and other such reusable and recyclable products. 

• Conserve water 

With all the plastic litter going into the oceans, industries dumping their waste into the water, and accidental oil spills polluting the water bodies, fresh and clean water has become a far-fetched dream. Although methods like activated carbon filtration, air stripping, bioremediation, phytoremediation, chemical oxidation, and traditional pumping and treating ensure proper treatment of polluted water, conserving water should be your priority. 

Install low-flow taps, fix water leaks, and don’t run the dishwasher half-empty. Install a rainwater harvesting system and use that water for cleaning your car, scrubbing the floor, or watering your plants. 

• Dispose-off waste properly

We have already discussed that ditching single-use products is a formidable way to arrest environmental deterioration. By using reusable products, you will be able to minimize the trash you are disposing away. 

If you use disposable products, make sure you dispose of them properly. Set up two trash cans in your home. Collect biodegradable waste in one and the rest in another one. Compost the organic waste and send the inorganic waste to the landfills. 

• Use green and toxin-free home improvement products

Cleaning agents contain strong chemicals that pollute the environment. Apart from filling the air with chemicals, floor cleaners, detergents, and other such cleaning products seep into the ground and pollute groundwater. 

Instead of using chemical-laden cleaning products, switch to green cleaners. Also, use eco-friendly paints to keep the indoor air clean. 

Over-fertilizing is another potent pollutant. Make sure you don’t do that. 

• Plant more trees

With growing industrialization and urbanization, green belts are diminishing in size. Maintaining green living areas is a vital step to keep the environment healthy. 

Plant native trees and plants to keep your surroundings clean and green. Having lots of greens around you has numerous benefits. They provide you with unadulterated oxygen, conserve water, and reduce carbon pollution.

By planting trees, you will be able to secure the future of your kids and the planet. 

• Sign petitions 

Large factories and industrial corporations can be held responsible for depleting and polluting natural resources. Although large factories and companies implement anti-pollution measures like using potent solutions for oil spills, not dumping chemical waste in water bodies, etc, yet they are required to reshape and amplify their measures to protect the environment. 

Sign petitions, write to your local newspaper, or reach out to the local representatives to make them understand your concerns regarding environmental pollution. 

Also, educate the people around you about the importance of keeping your surroundings clean and green. 

The bottom line 

Environmental pollution is a serious concern. If not countered now, it can flare-up and take the worst-ever shape. So, use these measures to protect the environment from further deterioration and make your future safer and greener.