One tree, one life

In an era when human race is extremely concerned about environment, when we all think about our bleak future due to increasing pollution everywhere, this topic becomes of utmost importance.

Even children today are aware about the importance of planting trees and protecting them. But the Go Green initiative includes much more than only planting trees. The overall aim is reducing carbon in the atmosphere and reducing different types of pollution to keep our ozone layer intact. There are many initiatives that I took for this –

1. Reduce / Eliminate use of paper

Paper is made from pulp produced from a particular tree. So it is essential to reduce the usage of paper or completely eliminate the same. I take following initiatives for this –

a. Travel with SMS instead of a print out in trains, flights

b. Keep soft copies of all types of documents and read soft copy of them instead of hard copies

c. Take print outs only when it is extremely important

d. Advice others to reduce / eliminate papers

e. Make notepads with waste paper with one blank side, to scribble down notes, minutes of meetings etc

f. Create innovations in reducing paper usage and making project plans. Recently I have submitted one such plan to Ministry of Law and Justice to reduce / eliminate paper in our legal procedure. Our justice system is the place where maximum paper documents are used and makes the entire process very slow and lengthy.

2. Use recycle paper

Paper pulp can be used to make paper pulp as well. This kind of recycle paper is used in newspaper industry. Usage of these saves trees indirectly.

3. Plant Trees

Most used and discussed method. A direct method to promote green environment as well. I have a small garden in the backyard, where I planted trees that give fruits and oxygen too. For those who do not have the option of planting trees in their backyard can do so in their living room or dining area too. This is a good interior decoration option. There are multiple ways to do it and any knowledgeable person can guide.

4. Save energy

In India the most around (88%) power is generated by burning fossil fuel (coal, diesel etc.) which produces a lot of Carbon-Di-Oxide (CO2) and Carbon-Mono-Oxide (CO) gases. These are the gases that create more harm to atmospheric ozone layer and contribute to global warming. So it is our duty to save energy so that less fuel is burnt to create this energy and the earth is saved. I do the following to save energy –

a. Switch off electrical appliances whenever not in use

b. Use energy efficient appliances. Nowadays it is easy to see the start rating and buy them

c. Use CFL bulbs instead of erstwhile neon bulbs

d. No use of lights in daylight

e. Have bigger doors and windows to have maximum lighting in my house so the electricity consumption is less, especially in daytime

f. Rise early in the day and use maximum daylight to save energy

g. Use bright colors as paint inside my house so that the sunlight coming in is reflected evenly and we get natural light

h. Use public transport instead of own vehicle. So I don’t own any vehicle. This not only reduces traffic snarl on roads but because of use of less number of vehicles on road the traffic snarl reduces

i. Advice / influence others to do the same

5. Use appliances that do not produce CFC

Unfortunately most of the ACs and Fridges do produce Chloro Fluro Carbon (CFC). Limitation of their use and completely stopping their use is one way to go green.

6. Save Water

It is not only that we need to plant trees etc to have green initiative. Go green also means achieve pollution free society. And when water pollution is the largest source of disease in the world no wonder why we need to save water to achieve green environment.

Today the world is having a crisis of potable water. United Nations survey (http://www.unwater.org/statistics_san.html) on global drinking water sources says that 11% of global population or 783 million people still do not have access to improved sources of potable water. This survey also says diarrhea is main cause of disease and death in the world today. Since the water crisis is so deep it is the duty of every citizen to save water. I do the same.

7. Classify waste before disposal

Even though today we have energy production using human waste or garbage we as citizens have some responsibilities there. We need to classify our waste into degradable and non degradable substances while discarding them. This helps the govt. to classify them properly and dispose of or use them for energy production later. This also helps in faster disposal of garbage and hence the related production of harmful gases to pollute the environment is less. Methane is one gas that contributes is pollution and warming effect.

8. Use bio gas / solar energy

Even though these are not used extensively I have a solar lantern and solar mobile phone that gets charged through sunlight. Solar oven is another goo innovation that helps people like me to go green. This reduces my fuel cost too while I contribute to green initiatives.

9. Blogging

Blogging is an effective media that is widely used by me to spread all kinds of awareness. My readers love me and my blogs and hence I write. It is only a part of my social responsibility to create awareness any way I can. This is another such attempt. Hope this helps. Even subjects like carbon trade etc can be dealt with blogs and govt.s can be influenced to reduce overall carbon emission. Unfortunately world’s most powerful nations are the most polluters.

10. House and workplace design

Since I live in a city other than my native place, I concentrate on the design of the house, its exposure to natural light and air. This reduces my energy consumption in future and helps in my green initiative.

So even at individual level we can do a lot of things as green initiative. Every small step counts and that is what I am trying..