Eco-friendly- All That You Should Know

Eco-friendly, in simple terms meaning anything friendly to planet Earth or the natural habitat around us. It involves not hurting the environment, making our surroundings greener but also maintaining a sustainable standard of living for future generations to come. Although we hear this word almost every day in our lives, there is so much more to it that we do not know or simply do not care about. When you are eco-friendly, you protect Mother Earth and free her from the reigns of pollution and harm that humans are responsible for.

Here is everything that you need to know about being eco-friendly.

What does Eco-friendly mean?

The word Eco has its roots in the Latin language, which means household or out habitat, which is planet Earth and everything present naturally. So, the term Eco-friendly translates to Earth-friendly and. For a more modern and industrial meaning, anything eco-friendly has little to no environmental damage and is recyclable, reusable, or disposable.

Everything you need to know about being eco-friendly.

A person who is aware and conscious of the environment is called an eco-conscious individual, and you need to know everything about being eco-friendly to be that person. So here is all you need to know about it.

Being eco-friendly is not just a one-time activity or an education drill but a way of life. First, of course, one needs to consciously help the environment and not cause any harm to it. From switching off lights to saving water and using reusable shopping bags, everything counts as being eco-friendly, but there is just so much more to the bigger picture.

It is a simple way of living to stop any harm to the environment while making sure that you give back to it as much as possible. Start using and promoting eco-friendly products, live a greener and healthier life, make choices that cause lesser harm to the environment, reduce the use of plastic, and so much more. It is an entire journey that you have to live that starts with a few conscious steps.

Why is it important to be eco-friendly?

There are thousands of reasons why you should be eco-friendly. Still, the most important of the lot are rising pollution levels, the toxicity in the air, global warming, and various diseases. In addition, not being eco-friendly causes a rise in the mortality rate, children being born with diseases and disabilities, and decrease the overall standard of living.

We are also running out of power and fuel options, which causes inflation, one of the many reasons for the cause of the biggest problem in the world, poverty. So it is a complete butterfly effect which means people not being sensitive towards nature leads to one thing and then leads to another, and in the end, humanity is at risk.

To make sure that the coming generations, our children and then their children, have at least the same quality of life as us, if not better, we need to promote the concept of being eco-friendly as much as ye can. It is the only way, given how far we have come, and there is no looking back now. So we either have to go green now or go away in a few years.

How to live eco-friendly.

As mentioned above, being eco-friendly is a way of life, and every conscious decision that we take towards it helps the environment in the long run. So here are a few small and simple ways to make a difference by being eco-friendly without even going out of your way.

Say no to plastic. Plastic is one of the major factors that harm the environment. All you need to do is say no to the plastic bags and switch to greener alternatives. Take a paper or a jute bag with you whenever you are out grocery shopping.

Cycle. If your destination is not too far from your place, which wastes precious fuel and makes the planet warmer, just ride your cycle to the place. Cycling not only is a completely eco-friendly mode of transport but also helps you stay in shape.

Recycling. Recycling is the best weapon that we have to fight against giants like global warming and pollution. Objects made of metal, paper, glass, and even plastic are completely recyclable and should be disposed of in the recycle bin.

Buy used stuff. You do not always have to buy things that are brand new. Instead, go to thrift stores, buy second-hand things online from sites like E-bay, or buy things even from the people you know. It makes the product more useful instead of going to waste and causing harm to the environment.

Avoid heavy packaging. Use only as much packaging as required, and even when you are buying something new, do not buy over-packaged things. This packaging eventually goes to waste and is hard to recycle. It increases not only your cost but also the carbon in the air.

Avoid bottled water. You do not have to buy a plastic bottle of water every time you are out and are thirsty. Just make it a point to carry a water bottle, preferably of glass, steel, or any other metal, so that your body even gets those minerals.

E-waste. We live in a world where the total e-waste output of the planet is nearly forty-five million metric tons. This waste, in turn, requires heavy investment to be disposed of while increasing the carbon content in the air. So make good use of your electronics before you decide to get rid of them.

Light sources. Switching to a greener light source like LED bulbs could reduce your power consumption for lighting to more than 75 percent while causing less harm to the environment. Plus, they are cheaper and provide the same service.

Your diet. As shocking as it may sound, you could help the environment just by choosing different things to eat. For example, leaving out the meat and dairy products in the meal could reduce the global carbon footprint by fifteen percent. Eat healthier, live happier.

Start composting. Composting is a natural way to get rid of the green waste in your house. Instead of throwing the leftover food or the peels, just throw them in a big pot or your backyard, and it could act as natural fertilizer or manure.

Your car. Opting for a cleaner, more fuel-friendly, and a mileage-efficient car could help the environment. Even if you do not want to change to an electric car, a car with good mileage could make a big difference.

Save water. Make it a point to close the tap when you are not using the water, take shorter showers, and do not waste water by any means. Every drop that you save will help someone that does not have easy access to it.

Unplug. Make it a habit to unplug all your electronic devices when they have been completely charged or are not being used. Also, make sure not to waste electricity by overcharging your electronics.

Switch off. Never leave the switch on when the socket is not being used. Switch off the lights, the fan, and any other electronic that is not being used to cut the flow of electricity. Just doing this much could reduce your electricity bill by about twenty percent.

Avoid air travel. Unless it is necessary, try to look for alternatives for air travel. A big chunk of greenhouse gases in the environment is due to the flights that people take daily. You could try and do your part by looking for other means.

Go green. Be it your school, college, house, or workplace, just planting a small plant or even a tree if you have the space is all it takes to make a difference in the world. Just a single tree itself will take care of all the carbon around it and make the air cleaner and more breathable.

Volunteer. Enroll yourself in any kind of nature or greenery club. There are so many steps being taken to make the environment that you live in cleaner and greener. Volunteer just once for these programs, whenever you find the time.

Spread awareness.  Just making people aware of all they are doing wrong and how they could help the planet is enough to turn into better individuals. Start with your family, your friends, your colleague and so on.

Better driving. Simple steps like switching off the engine at red lights, not speeding, and not exploiting the air conditioner in the car could help the environment a lot. Also, try walking or cycling for short distances.

Do not waste food. In a world where about forty percent of people do not even have three meals on their table, wasting food is the biggest sin. Watch your food purchases and cook only as much as you can eat. Instead of throwing away, try feeding some hungry mouths.

Air conditioners. Air conditioners and air heaters account for more than fifty percent of the global household energy consumption, along with releasing unthinkable amounts of greenhouse gases. So use them responsibly and in moderation.

Washing machines. Washing machines and clothes dryers are some of the biggest energy-consuming electronics of any household. Even if you cannot stop using the washing machine, substitute the clothes dryer with a clothesline that can dry in natural heat.

Switch to greener electronics. From your computer to the air conditioner, the next time you go out to buy any kind of electronic appliance or device, make sure to get one with an energy star label. They consume anything from thirty to sixty percent less energy than normal devices.

Disposable products. Stop using products like plastic straws, plates, and spoons, or just about any disposable product that can easily be replaced with a long-term greener option. Instead, carry your metal straw the next time you go out.

Start donating. Make it a habit to donate all the things you no longer use for instead of blindly throwing them out. Then, if it has not reached the end of its life cycle, there is a high chance that someone else might have a good use for it.

Do not over-buy. Do not buy the things you don’t need, don’t want, especially the things you would not be using. Instead, take a minimalistic approach to life and invest only in quality items that add value to your life.

Go organic. Understand that you are helping the planet by choosing to buy locally produces items. They are organic, have lesser chemicals, and decrease the strain on land by not using any heavy fertilizers.

Start carpooling. If a few people need to go to the same location, why take different cars and waste fuel when you can travel in the same vehicle and do so many good things for the environment.

Advantages of being Eco-friendly.

There are a lot of advantages of being eco-friendly on both a personal and global basis. On a lower and personal level, you feel happier, healthier, and have a sense of responsibility towards the planet, making you feel great as a human being. In addition, you feel a sense of belonging to people who believe in your cause and can create a safe and healthy environment for everyone around you.

If people started believing in this idea and started practicing it readily, the changes we could bring to the world would be astounding. For example, suppose we plant more trees. In that case, we can cut down the carbon content in the world significantly, eliminating the bulk of the greenhouse gases and reducing global warming in the process.

We can make the air that we breathe cleaner and fresher, the water more drinkable, and the food more organic, reducing diseases and disorders on a global scale and improving the overall standard of living.

All we need to do right now is believe that it is not too late for our planet to go back and take every little action to turn this dream into reality.