We all so called more knowledgeable about the state of our Earth and its environment always feel concerned and leave no opportunity to say something on the topic “ Go Green” to show case our deep knowledge and concern. However, I always feel that people without facilities are still contributing a lot to preserve the environmental state of mother planet fit for living as compared to the charity minded educated people. We have ignored all the traditional knowledge and ancient wisdom just for the sake of our comfort on the name of modernization supported by need of present times. People lived in such a great harmony with environment that for many centuries Earth was safe enough but with our present style of modernization/development, with in a very short span of time, nature is finding our activities so intolerable. We people living with all facilities or comforts of life i.e., water, cooking gas and electricity are taking no notice to make their (water, cooking gas and electricity) judicious use in our everyday activities. Same is the case with the use of personnel vehicles. Moreover, we are not at all doing our duty to inculcate the values in our next generation to preserve these resources.
Even if we think ourselves as great environmental conscious and of go green mentality, we are almost finding it helpless at individual and family level to be able to make our & family members to mend our ways to be environmental friendly. We can deliver lectures, write articles, research papers and books on “go green” concept but feel helpless to inculcate not only “go green” values but any type of human values which require hard work, patience, honesty and integrity etc. in our youngsters. We are not able to teach very basic necessities of life whether related to house hold works, kitchen works or market works which our children should have full knowledge and experience of doing. Young generation thus is becoming arrogant, impatient, angry and too much electronic because we are not able to involve them in other constructive and leaning activities related to life. Grown up girls and boys of present generation do not know abc of kitchen work and other house hold works. We should really feel ashamed in comparison to our predecessors in these qualities as they used to transfer all these required values in their next generation with so great efficiency and caliber.
From the core of our heart, we all want our mother Earth to be all green and pleasant to live for generations to come. For this, every one of us has to contribute by mending our ways of living to make it more environmental friendly. We have to strive at each step of our life to reduce wastage and emissions, and encourage recycling and pave way for pure and clean surroundings. We have to be mindful of and sensitive to the natural environment in our daily life and be green at home and at work. There are a number of ways to reduce personal electricity, cooking gas and including petrol/diesel wastage but, instead of being environmentally conscious enough, I would like to highlight my working weaknesses around 24x7 when I fail to implement “Go Green” concept even at my home & office which if controlled could have contributed enough for the well being of our dear environment. And above all I find it very difficult to be successful to inculcate the following environmental friendly habits in my family members.
In respect to Electricity
- Never switch off TV, fans, music system, computer/laptop, automatic iron even when I leave the room just for few minutes (as to make tea, receive a guest, receive a phone call and many more) and many a times this time gap increases significantly.
- Never switch off fans and computer in office also even when not in office.
- Use dryer of washing machine even if it is sun shine outside.
- Let the washing machine go on for many extra rounds of operation as compared to requirement of washing.
- Never bother to switch off fridge even if the items inside are cooled to chilling temperature.
- Never bother about the temperature of hot items of food to keep in the fridge.
- Never ask family members to share fan/cooler/heater in the same room.
- Do not bother to make use of CFLs .
- Never regulate the use of fan/cooler/heater according to weather conditions.
In respect to Water
- Never bother about the proper closing of water taps while not in use.
- Never close the water tap during shaving or tooth brushing or washing clothes or washing utensils.
- Never be satisfied to take a bath with a bucket of water (as we have become dirtier than our successors).
- Flash latrine for its every single use (like urine also).
- Do not bother to check the failure of stop bulb of latrine flash for its over flow or automatic flushing.
- Wash hands for each and every touch with full water tap on.
- Clean my personnel vehicles every day.
- Let the tap water flow while sitting for latrine job for a long time
In respect to Cooking gas
- Keep looking for utensils and ingredients while gas is on.
- Keep the water/milk boiling for long before/for its use.
- Never soak pulses/grams before cooking.
- Never clean gas burner for its efficiency.
- Never differentiate between the use of big and small burners.
- Let the cooking items boil for long with full flame.
- Do not take care of amount of water input in cooking.
- Do not bother to cover cooking pots while cooking.
- Do not bother about the right size of cooking pots while cooking.
In respect to personnel vehicle
- Never walk or use cycle even for small distances though there is no shortage of time.
- Never bother to club my daily activities in such a way that can minimize the vehicle use.
- Least concerned about the efficiency of vehicle.
In general
- Do not bother to waste food.
- Do not bother to liter all around
- Do not bother in using environmental non-friendly living methodology (e.g., use of plastics)
There are countless such daily activities in which if proper management, consciousness, concern and care is taken through which each one of us can contribute a lot for “Go Green” with sacrificing our comforts.