Recycle for a Cleaner Environment!
As the world gets increasingly crowded, dirtier and more polluted, we hold forth on what the world is coming to. We talk about the hazards of plastic, the garbage on the roads, the rubbish dumps that let of noxious smells and blame the government, the corporation the municipality …everyone except ourselves!
Inculcate civic sense: What we need to realize is that rubbish does not materialize from thin air! Each one of us contributes to piling up the rubbish in our cities. If every of us took some steps to recycle or control the amount of garbage that we dispose, it would make a significant difference to our surroundings. No one is asking you to go and clean up the roads or pick up litter from the pavements. All each of us needs is a healthy dose of civic sense and pride in our surroundings.
Start with simple things. Remember each and every act counts! Let’s start with clothes. Let’s admit it – we’ve all got clothes in our wardrobe that we’ve never worn for years and we know we’ll never wear again. Why not take those clothes to a jumble sale, some charitable home or give them away to your household help? You get rid of something you do not need and make space in your home – and it’s all for a good cause. Even the shabbiest clothing has its uses. Damaged clothing can be turned into cloths to wipe or dust or shredded for use in furniture padding. Torn saris and bedcovers can be recycled to make cushion covers, dupattas, borders for tablecloths, etc.
Recycle household rubbish: Over 60 percent of household rubbish can be recycled in some way and it needn’t be a gargantuan task. In fact, in India, recycling is so easy since we have people coming home to collect old newspapers and bottles. You could also recycle old jam jars, bottles and malted drink jars for use at home to store spices, condiments and other stuff.
Save paper: Paper is probably one commodity that urgently requires recycling. As we scribble on pads or chuck away magazines with practiced ease, trees are being lopped off to produce more paper, and our natural vegetation suffers, in turn affecting our environment and climate. There are so many ways to save paper apart from just selling newspapers to the raddiwaala. Don’t print; email as far as possible. Reuse newspaper to line cupboards and shelves, use as gift paper, make gift bags, etc.
Say no to plastic: Try to avoid using plastic. (I know this is easier said than done since most supermarkets and department stores pack all provisions in plastic bags.) Maybe all of us as consumers need to make a concerted effort to refuse goods in plastic bags.
Give things away: If you really want to get rid of something, see if you can give it away to a good home. Give away old furniture, pressure cookers, utensils you don’t use to charity. Check with your household help if they need any of the items that you plan to dispense off.
Here are some tips to recycle rubbish and unwanted items:
- Dispense with using cling film and foil and store food in re-sealable containers instead.
- Invest in rechargeable batteries to reduce rubbish and save money.
- Select re-useable varieties of goods such as nappies and hankies, rather than disposable ones.
- Give away or sell good quality magazines to your local library.
- Take unwanted clothes and household items to charity shops or jumble sales.
- Use old cloth to wipe counters instead of buying rolls of paper.
- Join a local library or download e-books to save paper.
- Recycle gift bags and gift paper.
- Don’t change your phone/laptop/computer every so often. Use it till it packs up. E-waste is a major health hazard.
Let’s contribute in our own small ways to recycling. After all, the result will be a cleaner, less toxic environment for us!
