World Environment Day: Living Cautiously Today For A Greener Tomorrow

On World Environment Day today, Dr Derek Monteiro, B.Sc. (Botany & Zoology), M.Sc (Eco-Tourism) and Ph.D. (Management Studies) and Guest Relations Manager – Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa speaks about how We can Be the Change that will Reimagine, Recreate and Restore our world by making certain lifestyle choices

Let us first understand what is an Ecosystem.  An Ecosystem is a system consisting of biotic and abiotic components that function together as a unit. The biotic components include all the living things whereas the abiotic components are the non-living things.  An Ecosystem may be termed as ‘natural’ when it is relatively untouched or undisturbed by human interference and then may be said to be ‘áltered’ when this ‘natural setting’ is changed or altered to suit various purposes such as agriculture, farming, construction, etc.

Furthermore, there exists diversity within ecosystems that can be seen at three levels: a) The generic variability that exists within a particular species. b) The variety of different species that exists in a community. c) The way the species of a particular area are naturally organised into floral and faunal communities.

Today, the ongoing Ecosystem degradation has already started to affect 40% of the world’s population. Every year, we lose 10 million hectares of forests. Soil erosion and other forms of degradation are costing the world more than $6 trillion a year in lost food production and other ecosystem services. Approximately 30% of natural freshwater ecosystems have disappeared since 1970.

The question we ought to ask ourselves is ‘How can I we be the change?’ World Environment Day 2021 will see the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: A global rallying cry for everyone – from governments to corporations and citizens – to do their part in healing our ailing planet. #GenerationRestoration invites us to Reimagine, Recreate and Restore.

This World Environment Day, We cannot turn back time, but we can grow trees, green our cities, rewild our gardens, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature.

Here are a few things we can adopt in our lifestyle and make a difference:

Let There Be Light!

All forms of electricity generation have an environmental impact on our air, water and land, but it varies. Of the total energy consumed the most is used to generate electricity, making electricity use an important part of each person’s environmental footprint. Producing and using electricity more efficiently reduces both the amount of fuel needed to generate electricity and the amount of greenhouse gases and other air pollution emitted as a result. This World Environment Day, Switching off electricity when not required and cautious consumption of energy can help conserve the resource. Alternatively, electricity from renewable resources such as solar, geothermal, and wind generally does not contribute to climate change or local air pollution since no fuels are combusted.

Each Drop Counts

Much of the demand for water is driven by agriculture, which accounts for 70% of global freshwater use, and food production will need to grow by 69% by 2035 to feed the growing population. While the earth has an abundance of water, unfortunately, only a small percentage (about 0.3 percent). Yet, much of the 0.3 percent that is usable is unattainable. Groundwater is the largest active freshwater resource on the planet, is often referred to as a hidden resource, as it is not often seen and is hard to visualise.  An important way to harness and store water this World Environment Day, is by rainwater harvesting. This involves collecting the rainwater from a roof-like surface and redirected to a tank or a reservoir with percolation, so that it seeps down and restores the ground water.

Beware of Plastic

Almost all plastics are made from chemicals that come from the production of planet-warming fuels (gas, oil and even coal) and hence extremely dangerous. Plastic debris is found from the Arctic to Antarctica. We must remember that not all plastic is recyclable and not all recyclable plastic is recycled. It won’t be wrong to state that plastic remains forever. It is a hazard to the marine life, either getting entangled or ingesting plastic resulting in suffocation and eventually death due to suffocation. Additionally, plastic waste in our oceans kills around a million sea birds annually. Eco-friendly alternatives to plastic include stainless steel, glass, natural fiber cloth, wood, bamboo, pottery or ceramics and paper. Choose wisely on your next shopping trip.

Don’t Be Cruel, Conserve Your Fuel!

The combustion of fossil fuels releases a large amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which is responsible for global warming. This leads to the melting of polar caps and rise in the sea level and further results in flooding of coastal regions. Other harmful chemicals released from burning fuel result in various respiratory illnesses. If fuels are incompletely burnt, they release carbon monoxide, which is poisonous in nature. An effective way to reduce the emission of these harmful chemicals is to choose the healthier option of cycling or walking for shorter distances. Another effective option is to opt for carpools, this ensures lesser vehicles on road and is less expensive. Others effective practices include switching off the vehicle on a signal, ensuring regular maintenance of the vehicle, use air conditioning sparingly and getting rid of unnecessary weight.

Saving Endangered Species

A species that exists in very small numbers that it is in danger of becoming extinct is an endangered species. One of the main reasons for this is the destruction of its natural habitat. The number of Indian plants in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List is steadily rising much to the dismay of conservationists. Take some time off from your busy schedules to understand and learn about these species in your area. Plant native flora in your neighbourhoods, native plants provide food and shelter for native wildlife. This in turn results in attracting native insects like bees and butterflies that can help pollinate your plants. Avoid purchasing products made from threatened or endangered species and refrain from using toxic herbicides or pesticides for your gardens. Make your home wildlife friendly.

Think Green, Live Green

Environmental or “Green” buildings represent a paradigm shift in the field of architecture and a more sustainable way to secure the future of urbanisation. They are structures that are resource-efficient throughout their life-cycle, throughout the processes of design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and eventual demolition. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective of green buildings is to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment. A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Environmentally sustainable design and sustainable architecture uses a conscious approach to energy and ecological conservation in the design of the built environment.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Waste Management in simple terms can be defined as the collection, transportation and disposal of waste material. With an exponential rise in population over the last few centuries, the Earth has accumulated massive amounts of waste without a proper disposal system. This can result in serious negative environmental impacts like infectious diseases, land and water pollution, obstruction of drains and loss of biodiversity. Recycling is one of the biggest aspects of waste management, and over time, it helps conserve energy. Composting is an easy and natural bio-degradation process that takes organic wastes i.e. remains of plants and garden and kitchen waste and turns into nutrient-rich food for your plants. Avoid using paper and go digital. Carry your own shopping bag instead of purchasing plastic bags on each visit. Do not hoard items that clutter your house, donate whenever possible. Opt for minimal packaging purchases.

Clothing

Roughly 15% of fabric used in garment production is cut, discarded and wasted. Low-quality materials end up in landfills and are a big reason for pollution. The textile industry is the second greatest polluter of local freshwater in the world, and is culpable for roughly one-fifth of all industrial water pollution. In addition, washing clothes, releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year — the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. Many of those fibers are polyester, a plastic found in an estimated 60% of garments. One of the most difficult things about trying to be more sustainable clothing is knowing where to find them. Thankfully, there are so many brands that operate with a sustainable focus in mind. Try to veer away from buying that statement piece you know you are only going to wear for one occasion, and instead invest in something with more longevity that you can wear again and again. Opt for quality over quantity.

 Let’s get active, not anxious. Let’s be bold, not timid.