What you need to know:
- People need to do their bit for the environment.
- A reader shares how she helps conserve water and reduce plastic in daily life.
On March 30, we experienced Earth Hour from 8:30 - 9:30 pm. We switched our lights and all family members sat in drawing room and spent quality time together thus contributed to conserve the energy by fulfilling our duty to save our Mother Earth.
This is just symbolic gesture to save electricity, which refreshes our memory and reminds us to save this energy throughout the year for practical impactful steps to save our environment.
Each and every person staying on this palent should pledge to save this energy as it’s a global initiative. Not only this, everyone should adopt sustainable living to protect our Mother Earth, which sustains all of us.
Apart from saving electricity, I try to opt Sfor other sustainable living options too. For example, saving water, minimising food wastage, decreasing the use of plastic, use public transport whenever possible and overall follow the tenets of the ‘reuse, reduce and recycle’ mantra.
Contribution towards saving water
We as a family try to save water as much as we can as I have trained my children to use water responsibly and consciously. I have also shown my maid practically how to wash utensils without wasting too much of water. I have seen in many houses, keeping taps flowing throughout procedure of cleaning the utensils with dish cleanser and rinsing while first step of cleansing can be done keeping the tap closed.
In 2016, I also received an award for giving an idea through the Mohammad Bin Rashid Smart Majlis about spreading awareness arounf saving water. I had suggested that an advertisement campaign should be run showing how we would have to live once water becomes extremely scarce. For example, people would have to wear disposable clothing or shave their heads. I had the honour of receiving the award by H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
Cut plastic out
I have bought reusable plastic bags when last time I went for shopping and pledge to take it with me for the next grocery shopping. When I use plastic utensils for food, which is quite rare, I reuse it and never throw them away after a single use.
I have also made it a point to take my old clothes, bags, shoes and drink cans, and put them in respective boxes for recycling. We all family members have also developed a habit to reuse water bottles. These simple steps can help with the huge problem of landfills, which many countries around the world are suffering from.
Food waste is a big problem
We all need to keep the balance for food globally as in many countries peoples are wasting food and ultimately it goes to landfills whereas in many other countries people are living in extreme poverty and children are dying due to its scarcity. Huge wastage of food has been seen in restaurants specially where buffets are served like during weddings where peoples fill their plates and finally it goes to dustbins. Statistics show that one third of all the food produced for human consumption lands in the garbage dump.
Suggestion for restaurants
For restaurants, I suggest a bowl should be kept on every table, people should take out some food before starting and take more when required. This way, it will be saved untouched and many needy peoples can be fed. Whenever my family and I dine out, we always takeaway the remaining food and use it next day. Reducing food wastage is an attitude that must begin at home.
Now it’s needed more than ever for all of us globally to unite, step forward to curb global warming by responsibly using of all the resources whether it’s electricity, water, food, plastic, petrol and other natural materials. Otherwise, it’ll be very difficult for our future generations to stay on this planet. S
More steps should be taken for climate change and to bring awareness to the people for sustainable use of all above. Social media is the fastest track to bring this awareness and let’s start using it for the better.
-Niamat Karmally is a homemaker based in Dubai.
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