What is GOING GREEN (Part 1)

What is meant by going green? Going green means, not only recycling but it includes much more. Basically go green means, live the life as an individual, in a way that is eco friendly and is sustainable for the earth. It also means to contributing towards maintaining the ecological balance in the environment and preserving the planet and its natural resources. It also means taking necessary steps, whether small or big to minimize the destruction of the environment, as a result of inhabiting this planet. To practice green living, we have to follow the five basic principles, in our daily life,

1. Reducing pollution.
2. Conserve energy.
3. Conserving resources.
4. Protection of the earth’s ecological balance.
5. Reduce consumption and waste.

These are the five basic principles to make our earth a better place to live in. What does going green means?

Reduction in Pollution:

How does going green refer to reduction in practice? Well in our daily activities, we release a lot of toxic substances into the environment. Starting from the beginning of the day. The soap, shampoo, and the detergent, which has chemicals is washed down into the rivers and lakes or even the sea through drainage. The car that we drive to work or even the bus that we take to our office emits green house gases which cause the global warming and the lead which is harmful to all the life on earth. While the fast food that we have, in the process of preparing the bread, salad and meat patty, chemicals in the form of pesticides is released into the atmosphere from the greens and bread. The wrapping paper that is wound on the meal will get into the landfills because these are difficult to recycle. Many gases are released into the atmosphere when the wrappers are burnt or buried. The major part is the release of gases in the form of smoke from the factories and industries. This production will need earth’s natural resource which is diminishing day by day.

All these types of pollution are difficult to control, and we cannot leave zero trace of toxic substance from our activities. Despite the pollution, many want to travel in their private vehicle, which can be controlled and the control of food is a definite need. There are definitely ways to stop this pollution and reduce the impact.

We can switch to more natural or organic detergents, shampoos and lotion. Man-made chemicals have more impact than natural chemicals and the natural means are bio-degradable and have lesser harm to the atmosphere. Switch to organically growing your food, i.e. growing the food without the help of fertilizers and the pesticides. They are much healthier and free of carcinogens and heavy metals. Fast food should be kept away. Public transport should be used more than private. The vehicle source is the largest source of air pollution. Better don’t buy a car, when you do so, you are helping in the reduction of metals and the pollution the atmosphere is going to have because of that. And if you want to drive, drive an eco-friendly car.

Conserve Resource

What does going green mean to conserving resources. The natural resources are limited, when the population and the technology grow, we are getting the resources readily in our hand and so we consume more and more resources. The rate of consumption is more in developed countries.

More trees are cut down for buildings and papers, oil, coal and natural fuels are used for driving factories and automobiles. These resources will not last forever and this is also contributing to air pollution, global warming and acid rain. Tanzanite is mined to a point that there is no more left in the Earth. The farming is also very intense and so the minerals and other natural sources for the plants are depleting.  If certain efforts are not taken soon, we won’t have any left for later use.

We are using up to 20% more than the earth can produce. Many resources have fallen down by 40% between the years 1970 to 2000. In turn the pollution also further destroys the valuable resources of our earth. Trees are cut down rapidly and so there are less trees to absorb the carbon-dioxide from the earth and increases the impact of global warming. Global warming is in turn, reacting on us and the drying up of the forest lands, the destruction of the habitat for the plants and the animals, which will result in the extinction of the species. While the over fishing have minimized the fish population in the water has the higher reduction is in the oceans. When we target and fish a particular species, it not only leads to the extinction of that species, but also alters the eco-system, which results in the destruction of the coral reefs. Over fishing have led to the reduced the number of many species.

If we are moving in this rate, the term extinction will also knock our doors; Earth won’t be able to sustain lives on the planet for long. No other species is using the Earth resource like the human species, we are among millions of species and this particular wants all the resource that earth can provide. Isn’t that selfishness?

Green living also includes in protection the Earth’s natural resources. We need to learn to consume what we really need, and have a control in our consumption. We have to remember that we are not the only species on earth. We have to rely on the also. Even if we want to, go for eco-friendly products which can help in reducing the carbon footprints and helps in promoting greener planet.