Ways to Maintain a Clean and Safe Environment
According to a recent WHO report, 99 % of the world's population is breathing toxic, polluted air laden with fine particulate matter. The primary cause of damage to the planet's natural resources, such as forests, seas, mountains, and the atmosphere, is human greed. Here are a few ways you can express your concerns and adhere to environmental standards that protect our planet and keep our environment clean and safe:
Reduce Your Energy Consumption
Reducing your energy consumption can help the environment while also benefitting the user. Using less electricity, for example, can save you money by lowering your electric bill. Turning off the lights when you leave a room is a simple way to reduce your energy consumption. Start by unplugging electronic devices that aren't in use to help keep the environment clean. You can turn off your cell phone, laptop, coffee maker, microwave, television, or printer small steps like these also help in reducing CO2 emissions.
Make Your Commute More Environmentally sustainable
According to research, vehicles emit roughly more than 50,000 tons of PM2.5 per year in urban centres in India. At the same time, the transportation sector accounts for about 8% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in India, and it approaches 30% in Delhi. However, it is possible to help the environment by not commuting unnecessarily or using a different form of transportation (public transport for example). Carpooling to work is also an excellent way of reducing carbon footprint. Additionally, we can look at adopting public transport systems whenever possible, some cities like Pune celebrate “BUS DAY” where citizens are encouraged to travel using the public transport. This results in fewer private vehicles on the road for the day. Alternatively, exploring options of retrofit devices to reduce emissions from existing vehicles until we adopt EVs on a much larger scale.
Explore newer technologies to make crematoriums sustainable
Recently the National Green Tribunal has suggested the use of Gas or Electricity instead of the use of wood for cremation. Crematoriums have been a very important source of pollution in recent times, especially with the unfortunate advent of the Covid crisis and the huge surge in the number of cremations. Opting for greener cremation in crematoriums that are retrofitted with air pollution devices is another way of reducing the human footprint on the environment is the way forward.
Currently, several crematoriums are currently using water scrubbers to reduce air pollution, however, a lot of water is wasted to treat the smoke, and this wastewater or slurry is let into a water body or a landfill which basically transfers the pollution from air to water and land. To make the process more environmentally friendly one may use caskets that don't release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere during the cremation process. To solve the problem of emissions of hazardous substances at the source, we need to look at newer and more efficient solutions that reduce emissions without wasting water.
Avoid burning waste
When garbage is burnt, large amounts of toxic gases and particulates are emitted into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, methane, and particulate matter are examples of such pollutants that are widely associated with air pollution and can result in serious respiratory illness. This should be closely monitored and citizens should be encouraged to report such instances using a public grievance system. At the administrative level, it is advised to explore technologies that help in managing landfill waste without any environmental consequence.
Reuse and recycle
Recycling and reusing are beneficial to the environment since they not only help to save resources and use them wisely, but they also help to minimize gaseous and particulate emissions. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which play a role in global warming, and contributes to the ecosystem's long-term preservation for future generations.
This World Earth Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the environment, and climate change, and celebrating the beauty of this planet. With the rising environmental issues, we must all work together to reverse the damage and keep our environment clean. Many of us believe we are too insignificant to make a difference, but when enough of us take action, the positive results add up!
(About the author: Irfan Pathan is Co-Founder & CEO, Pi Green Innovation)
