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'Going Green' has now become a common phrase among people nowadays.
'Going Green means to be committed to protecting the natural resources in
our environment. As awareness of man's impact on the environment is
increasing, people are becoming more and more willing to practice cleaner
lifestyles. Every action of ours has an impact on the environment. From the
cars we dive, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the purchases we
make, they not only affect the environment, but they also show our attitude
towards it. Going green does not necessarily have to involve high costs. It
just requires us to make fundamental changes to our lifestyles. Realizing
that every action and every decision we make is either going to help or harm
the environment, my family decided to give environmental conservation a try.
We knew that it was going to cause a little inconvenience but we knew it
would save money in the long run. For a start, we decided to conserve
electricity and water to reduce our utility bills. We have stopped leaving
electrical devices like ceiling fans and lights on all the time. we also
made sure we turned off the computers after we had finished our work. Mum
even stopped us from opening the refrigerator too often as she claimed it
would use up more energy. We left all our windows open so that the house
would be ventilated and cool. When the weather became too hot and we had to
turn on the air-conditioner, we made sure that it was on only for a couple
of hours to keep the room cool. Mum used to wash clothes every day but she
started doing the laundry only when there was a full load. She also recycled
water whenever possible. The water used for washing clothes and vegetables
was re-used for washing bathroom floors and the drains. Rainwater was
harvested for aquarium use and of watering plants. Moreover, we made sure
that we did not le the tap run while brushing our teeth or washing our
hands. Dad, on his part, decided to carpool with a friend instead of driving
to his work place as it was too far away. We rode our bicycles to
run errands. Sometimes, when the weather
was fine, we chose to walk. It gave us time to view and enjoy our
surroundings. At the same time, it helped us save on petrol and parking
costs while improving our cardiovascular health and keeping our bodies trim
and fit. Reducing waste was more difficult than we anticipated. Whenever
we went shopping, we brought along our own reusable bag so that we used less
plastic bags. We also used food waste to make our own compost. The use of
food waste as fertilizers eliminated the need to buy synthetic fertilizers.
The manufacture of our own fertilizers ultimately led us to plant our own
vegetables and greens. Every available plot of land was used to grow plants
and soon our home was transformed into a garden home. The greatest reward
for our green endeavors was not the significant savings we achieved in our
utility bills. Neither was it the praise we received. It was when our
environmentally and purse-friendly ways rubbed off
on our neighbors and friends. they started carrying their own
shopping bags and even started switching to reusable drinking bottles and
food containers. they, too, like us have realized that we need not start off
big. We need not take big steps like installing a solar power system at home
or switching to a hybrid car. All we
need to take are small steps and ensure that our lifestyles do not harm to
the environment. With the collective efforts of every human being living
on the planet, it would be easy to make the world a better place to live in.
Environmentalists are constantly reminding us of the need to curb global
warming and conserve our environment. While many of us realize the
importance of this, we are just not practicing an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Climate changes and other environmental problems are threats that can be
combated if every one takes action. it is just a mater of moving out of our
comfort zone and putting up with a little inconvenience. |
