On this Earth Day, let’s take 10 new pledges and participate in innovative green habits that help the environment.
1. Invest in a reusable stainless-steel bottle for carrying your water around. Research suggests that the presence of chemicals in plastic bottles, cups and synthetic packaging, can trigger migraine.
2. Whip up your own brew of skin elixirs from organic veggies, fruits and clay. “We brushed our teeth with a twig from the big neem tree in the courtyard, cleaned our faces with earth from the river, and washed our hair with shampoos from the kitchen like yoghurt and coconut water,” say authors Sharada Dwidevi and Shalini Devi Holkar in their book Almond Eyes, Lotus Feet.
3. Ditch packaged fruit juice for freshly squeezed juices at home. It’s a good way to reduce waste and junk cartons. Recent research has shown that high intake of fruit juices can lead to an increased risk of diabetes.
4. Buy your supply of greens from local farmers because it is likely to be freshly picked.
5. Avoid canned fruits and drinks. The coating used to line their containers contains BPA (Bisphenol A), a chemical that may be responsible for many types of cancers and reproductive disorders.
6. Say no to synthetic household cleaners. Use vinegar to clean kitchen and table surfaces. It has acetic acid that works as a disinfectant.
7. Find natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp and silk made using minimum harsh chemicals. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) used on many clothes to keep them wrinkle-free is toxic to the environment.
8. Reduce consumption of red meat. The meat produced from animals like sheep and goat produce large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that packs 72 times the punch of CO2 over a 20 year period.
9. Candle light dinners are not so great for the environment. “Minimise use of candles including aroma candles because they emit harmful toxins in the air,” suggests Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy, New Delhi
10. Use vetiver or khus (aromatic and cooling grass) covers for your window/balcony to keep your home naturally cool in summer. This will reduce excessive use of air-conditioners in the hot months.
– Source : indiatoday.intoday.in
