Restore Our Earth – is this year’s theme for Earth Day 2021, which is observed every year on April 22. As the years are passing by, Earth day is gaining more and more importance for obvious reasons. This year’s theme for Earth Day is to Restore Our Earth, with a focus on natural processes and innovative green technologies that can restore the world’s ecosystem.
While the world’s leading organizations such as UN Women, UNICEF are preparing activities for Earth Day, I was wondering what we can do from our home to be a part of this movement. With the pandemic hitting us harder than ever, we are being forced to stay confined in our homes for safety, I have thought of small but not insignificant things we can do to restore our Earth.
Talk About it
One of the easiest, yet effective ways to have an impact on global climate change is to simply voice your concerns. Use social media, your workplace, your friends, and family to initiate conversations regarding climate change. We can only make a change when we are aware that something needs to be changed.
Buy Energy-efficient Appliances
Take a look around you and see all the appliances that you use on a daily basis. From a simple hair straightener to a washing machine, how many of your appliances are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly? I certainly know that all of my gadgets are not energy-efficient! So, from now on, whenever we buy something new, let’s make a conscious effort to buy products that are a little less bad, if not entirely good, for our environment.
Buy Eco-friendly Products
In addition to changing appliances, I actually have been making a more conscious effort to buy more sustainable and eco-friendly everyday household products, such as reusable water bottles. Also, from cleaning products to personal care products such as shampoo bars, body soap bars, and deodorant refills. If you don’t want to make any drastic changes, maybe going from single-use plastic straws to reusable straws as I did, could be your first small step!
Pull the plug(s)
Are you guilty of forgetting to unplug your devices even after they have been fully charged? I know I certainly am. But it’s never too late to change our habits! Even though most of the latest devices are smart enough to stop using energy once they have been fully charged, not all the devices work that way. Apparently, “idle load” from gadgets across all US households, add up to the output of 50 large power plants.
Keep your tires Inflated!
Did you know that keeping the tires of your car properly inflated can boost miles per gallon anywhere from 4 to 40%? We can literally save 1.2 billion gallons of gas each year just by keeping our tires inflated. It’s that simple!
Change Your Diet!
The Food Industry is one of the considerable contributors to climate change. By reducing your intake of animal protein by only half, you can cut your diet’s carbon footprint by over 40%. Even though I am vegan myself but don’t worry! I don’t expect anyone to become a vegetarian or vegan to make a difference. But it’s certainly something to consider, not just for climate change, for health benefits too. By simply making conscious choices one can make a huge difference in the long run.
Let’s Restore Our Earth!
I understand that it’s not always possible for everyone to take part in various activities and actively fight for climate change. But by making small changes in our habits, we can certainly play a role in building a better future. These are some of the small ideas that I have mentioned, but there are so many other things that you can do. For example, recycling clothes, reducing water waste, food waste, and whatnot. Let’s always remember, It’s the small changes that make the huge impacts over time.
