RaynaLet’s face it. We can’t be perfect, especially when it comes to helping or saving the environment. As much as you or I may be trying, it isn’t possible that we are not contributing to destroying the environment in some small or big way. Of course, ‘destroying the environment’ sounds really very dramatic when written in that way, but it is the truth, and as we all know, the truth often does hurt.
You mostly harm the environment in only a small number of small ways, but when all of 7 billion people of the earth’s population do those things, well, it does not look good. And while some of these people do care, and try to cut down on all that they can, it’s a minor number of people who actually do that.
There are several things people can do which are terrible, and ruin the earth. Right now, we’re talking about the everyday things a lot of people do that harm the environment.
What are these common things that we do that actually are harmful to the environment? Well, let’s find out.
- Shopping
While doing shopping for your groceries may seem totally innocent, let me assure you that it is not. Most shops give out plastic or paper bags. Plastic is the absolute worst, but even paper bags are little devils. So what can you do now? You will hardly find a store giving cloth bags. Well, there is always the option of taking your own cloth bag. They are cheap and reusable, and you can easily get one that suits your style. - Eating Chinese food
Don’t worry, you need not stop eating your favourite Chinese foods. All you need to stop doing is using disposable chopsticks. You can get reusable chopsticks at a very affordable price, so why not? Reusable chopsticks are mostly sturdier than disposable ones, and you can even get a customised one to go all out, so it’s really a win-win. - Getting a new pair of jeans
Jeans is something everyone knows about. It’s a classic clothing item, and you probably could not imagine them not being there. However, something you don’t know about jeans is the amount of chemicals and water used to make one single pair. A pair of jeans takes almost 3,000 gallons of water to make, which is more than 70 bathtubs full! Water is something most people take for granted; but not everyone has the luxury of it. Whenever you get a new pair, try upcycling your old jeans, donating them, or giving them away. - Boiling too much water
While boiling water for a nice cup of tea, or perhaps just some hot water in the chilly winters, you have got to admit you often take way too much, and are left with unnecessary water. Ahh, it’s pretty obvious now, isn’t it? Whenever you’re doing that, you’re wasting water, so it’s best to first measure out the amount you need. - Shopping online
Online shopping is such an easy way to get your stuff, but because of that, it has become very common. You can buy things online everywhere in the world now, but because it’s actually terrible for the environment, it’s becoming something awfully serious. The problem is the transport. Hundreds of trucks are sent out every single day to deliver something or the other. Trucks are a big way of contributing to pollution. Online shopping isn’t something anyone will cut down on completely, but we can be careful with how we choose what to buy. Check in the local shops first. - Leaving appliances plugged in
Whether you’ve left your phone charging overnight, or your laptop, or even your modem, these all use a ton of energy. Every day, before bed, it’s recommended to always go around the house unplugging everything. While tedious, it doesn’t take quite as long as it may sound. - Your morning rituals
Morning rituals are called rituals for a reason; they don’t change. However, it is time to bring a change to your routine.1. First and more importantly, flushing the toilet. Every time you flush, approximately one bucket of water gets used. You probably flush around 4 to 5 times in a day, and overall a lot of water is consumed. But while not flushing at all would be ideal, this one is definitely way harder to stop, and I understand. I mean, you wouldn’t want to do your business and then not flush.
One efficient way around this is to switch to compost toilets. Compost toilets are like dry toilets; instead of using water to flush the ‘waste’ away, they turn it into a compost-like material. However, this is not very suitable for everyone, so the second solution is to control how much you flush. Technology comes in handy there – have you heard of low-flush toilets?2. As for the second thing, it’s brushing your teeth. A lot of people let the tap run while brushing. While this seems like a small thing, it definitely adds up. One option is obviously to be careful about closing the tap. Another option is using a brushing method that doesn’t include using water at all: there are several herb shoots and leaves that offset the foul breath while also providing protection against germs.
While removing all of these things from your lifestyle will definitely be difficult, remember how well it will suit the environment if all of these things are eliminated. Do your bit for the environment, so we can soon see the change!
Ten-year-old Rayna is a reader first, and editor, writer, blogger, observer of nature and animals, painter, mechanic, guitar and harmonica player, etc., during her spare time. She also does duty as young thinker at CauseBecause, participating in crucial meetings and every once in a while pointing out stuff that her older colleagues miss. She blogs at: https://raynaweb.wordpress.com/