Go Green Or Go Home: 10 Simple Swaps You Can Make For The Environment

Climate change is real and it is happening now. Living in the capital city of Delhi, we’ve already been first-hand witnesses to its devastating effects–the weather is either too hot or too cold, the pollution levels are record-breaking (and not in a good way), the water is severely contaminated and the roads are perennially jam-packed with vehicles. If this is the life we’re living now, is there hope for future generations?

While we can’t do much as an individual on a macro level (unless you’re Elon Musk), you CAN take simple steps to reduce your carbon footprint and live a more eco-friendly life. And remember, don’t just do it yourself–make sure you involve your friends, family and community!

1. Ditch Single Use Plastic Straws

Single-use plastic is extremely damaging to the environment. While I find straws entirely unnecessary, some people can’t drink liquids without one. If you must use a straw, I suggest you buy a set of metal or bamboo straws that are washable and reusable. Make sure you keep at least one in each bag, so you’ll never be without one.

Also Read: World Environment Day Quotes

2. Use A Hand Towel Instead Of Paper Wipes

It’s important to wash your hands several times a day to keep yourself free of germs and subsequent infections. However, do you really need yo use 3-4 sheets of paper to dry your hands afterwards? You could dry your hands using the dryer installed in your office if it’s available, or try carrying your own hand-towel instead! 

3. One Tote Bag To Rule Them All

Yes, we’ve all had that one ball of plastic-bags-within-plastic-bags. It’s time to say goodbye to them. You can avoid a plastic-pile up by simply buying a cloth tote bag and carrying it with you everywhere. It’s more durable than paper bags, and much better for the environment

4. Carry A Water Bottle

It’s important to stay hydrated, and it’s equally important to NOT get your hydration from a plastic-packaged bottle! While bottles of mineral water might be convenient, the toxins present in the plastic bottles they’re packaged in seep into the water and ultimately, enter your body. These toxins are known to be carcinogenic in nature and are extremely harmful. An esay fix is to carry a cute metal bottle that you can re-fill during desired intervals. 

5. Carpool To Work

Studies have shown that vehicular traffic is a major contributor to the poor air quality in the coutry. We know it’s convenient to just drive your car or book an uber for yourself, but we urge you to consider booking a ride-sharing app or maybe even carpool with your friends! This way, you’re not just saving the environment, you’re also saving so much money!

Also Read: 10 Eco-Friendly Hotels In India For That Romantic Summer Vacay!

6. Say No To Disposable Cups

Yes, we love our morning commute Cappucino–who doesn’t like a kick of caffeine before diving into the day? And while you may be thinking that getting a paper takeaway glass is more eco-friendly than the plastic one, remember that all that paper adds up. A simple swap? Carry our own mug to office, or even a travel flask. Some coffee shops even give you a discount if you get your own up! Win-win, right?

7. Re-use, Re-cycle

While we agree that it is a little unrealistic to completely cut-off plastic from our life at this point, re-suing the plastic will stop it from becoming single-use. So collect all those empty beauty containers, keep all those card boxes and don’t throw away the tin cans. Used-up containers of every shape and size can be re-used for something else. Once you start, you’ll find a way to re-use practically every empty container or box you have.

8. Say Goodbye To Plastic Sanitary Pads

Besides being bad for the environment, plastic sanitary pads are extremely bad for your body. So do yourself (and the earth) a favour by ditching them completely. The alternative? You have plenty of options, from cotton pads to menstrual cups to period panties. Do your research, and go with whichever works best for you!

9. Fast Fashion vs Sustainable Fashion

It’s so tempting to hit ‘add to cart’ when the products are cheap and produced in bulk. But did you ever stop to wonder why these products are so cheap? It’s because they are bad for the environment and carry out unsustainable practices. Yes, sustainable fashion is slightly costlier when compared to fast-fashion, but that’s because eco-friendly products are not cheap to manufacture! So instead of buying 10 white t-shirts for every mood, switch to one or two classic sustainable pieces.

Also Read: 8 *Small* Changes You Can Make To Live A More Eco-Friendly Life!

10. Use A Bamboo Toothbrush

A toothbrush is also a harmful plastic product that can introduce the toxins from the plastic into your body. Plus, replacing your plastic toothbrush might be hygienic for you not for the environment. Thankfully, there are plenty of non-plastic toothbrushes available online. Our favourite is the bamboo wood toothbrush, and make sure you order a pack at a time so you don’t ever need to run to buy a plastic brush for ’emergencies’.

So, how many of these do you already follow?

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