Ways to Keep a Little Green in Your Planet

One of the greatest scenes of going green is from Disney animation Moana. As Moana walks towards Te Kā and restores the heart of Te Fiti, we see the world turn from volcanic ash into green and abundance. Like little Moana defying the odds of sailing across the world, finding Maui, and restoring the heart of Te Feti, we can give more to our planet. Going green is often about giving the earth more than we take from it or returning to the earth every time we take from it. It is therefore important that we learn to make our planet green.

Simple and deliberate actions we take daily contribute to making the earth greener. These actions may be as little as reusing things instead of throwing them into the garbage, turning off the lights, refusing to use plastic and other synthetic materials as well. Seeing as we consider planet earth home and we only have one home for now, why not spend a little more time showering it with love and care and learn how to make the earth clean and green? Here are some ways we can preserve and make the earth greener right from your home to your office without breaking the bank:

How to Keep the Earth Green

Going Green in the Office

We spend so much time in the office carrying out productive activities and sometimes we also create wastes that are not eco-friendly. We can fix that in the following ways.

More Digital Less Paper

We currently live in a digital world and countries like Dubai have decided to go paperless, a plan that has already been set in motion. Businesses can reduce the use of paper and printers in the office space by relying on digital correspondence. It can begin as a gradual process of donating one or two of the printers in the office to schools or non-profit organizations until it becomes a habit and there is little or no need for paper.

Switch to Motion Activated Light Switches and Unplug

There is no need to consume power by staying plugged in when you are not in the room. Instead of increasing electricity expenses by staying plugged in, unplug workstations and devices, not in use. Also, the electricity consumed can be reduced by installing motion-activated light switches. Rooms that are not frequently used can switch to these alternate light switches instead of relying on people switching on and off the lights as they enter or leave the room. Also, the office can switch to opening the shades during the day taking advantage of the light the sun produces. This can significantly save electricity.

Use Natural Fiber Sponges and Micro-fiber Cloths

Rather than using paper towels, there are other eco-friendly and inexpensive ways of cleaning up spills of any kind and micro-fiber clothes come in handy. Also rather than using plastic-based sponges which pose health and environmental risks, natural fiber sponges can be used. With plastic sponges, there is a potential risk of breeding bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli but plant-based fibers are bio-degradable and will not house deadly bacteria.

Use more Silverware and Compostable plates

Instead of relying on styrofoam for office celebrations, compostable plates are an inexpensive way of having fun and saving the earth. Also, relying on reusable silverware helps cut off the reliance on plastic and paper and cuts down waste.

Build a Culture of Recycling

One way of making the earth greener is building a culture of recycling and this starts with proper labeling of trash. Most often people do not know what goes where and having the compost, recycling and trash bins properly labeled can go a long way to help promote a culture that will keep the planet green.

Going Green at Home

The family is the center of human civilization and a movement to go green can sprout from a family. You can teach your family to make the planet green in the following way:

Plant a Garden

Having a garden helps reduce reliance on canned and processed foods. It is also eco-friendly as it promotes a reduction in carbon monoxide and increases oxygen. It is also important to teach the younger generation about how food is gotten and where it comes from and you can do this when you produce your food by planting a garden.

Save Water, Save Energy

There are multiple ways to save water such as replacing showers with baths. Also using dual-flush toilets or toilets with water-saving toilet cisterns. Water used in the home can also be collected to water the garden. Why waste when you can save? When it comes to energy, unplugging devices not in use, reducing the use of heated water and opening the shades in the home, and using more daylight goes a long way to save energy. Air conditioners and heaters consume a lot of energy and setting the thermostat a couple of degrees lower during winter and higher during summer can reduce your family’s carbon footprint. Replacing the light bulbs in the home with LED energy-saving ones is an inexpensive and efficient way of cutting down on energy consumption.

Recycle

Rather than using plastic or paper bags, use cloth bags or compostable bags. You can also choose to reuse glass as they do not decompose easily. Aside from glass, Plastic bottles are one of the biggest contributors to landfills and only about 9% can be recycled successfully. So instead of plastic, using canteens or drinking from water faucets will go a long way to reduce the carbon and other polluted gas in the earth. You can start your own little ‘green protect’ project in your home by recycling and reusing.

Go the Second Hand Way

Everything has a second-hand value. Rather than throwing things away, look for a way to reuse them. Second-hand clothes are also an affordable way of keeping the earth’s carbon emissions down. For babies, washable nappies can reduce the expensive cost of diapers and their harm to planet earth as they are difficult to decompose creating 15% of non-decomposable waste. Washable nappies are affordable and eco-friendly as well.

In the Kitchen

Use cloth napkins instead of paper towels as they are reusable. Also, the use of heat in the kitchen can be reduced. For instance, a pressure cooker can be used to cut down heat use time in the kitchen. Also, cooking on reduced heat, using the microwave instead of the oven or toaster as well as using the stove kettle can help combat carbon emission.

How to Save the Environment

Just like Moana, the fight to saving our planet belongs to everyone. In the following ways, you can join hands in saving our planet.

Volunteer

You can volunteer for green activities in your neighborhood such as cleanups and activities that revolve around protecting the watershed. You can also volunteer with wildlife, plant, and environmental organizations. For instance, volunteering to plant trees and gardens for butterflies, moths or ladybirds is a great way to create balance in the ecosystem.

Education

Saving our environment takes more than one person. So, you have to help educate others on how to help the planet. Education is also needed to teach the importance of protecting and increasing our natural resources. Educating people about different means of recycling, conserving water, and reducing waste can create a ripple effect.

Reduce Chemical Use

The use of pesticides and insecticides in the garden can be reduced. Eliminating chemicals and toxins that get sent into our waterways is a great way of protecting the ocean and our health as well.

Other ways include reusing and recycling, tree and garden planting, choosing sustainable activities such as cooking your own meals, and giving out compostable gifts to friends and families.

Conclusion

We can not make the earth green alone, we need the contribution of friends and families to protect our planet. The great thing about carrying eco-friendly activities such as ring bicycles as means of transportation rather than using cars- is that we get rewarded for it. For every step taken to protect the earth, there is a reward. For instance over 100,000 marine life die every year from plastic waste, by reducing the causes of their death we create a balance in the ecosystem. Making the planet green is pocket-friendly, reduces bills, and also promotes healthy living. It takes a community to clean up the earth, save the trees and birds, and with more awareness, our plant will be green again.