Just late last year, world leaders gathered in Paris, France, to come up with a global environmental agreement that would see countries reduce their carbon emissions. Why would world leaders, leaders of the powerful and wealthy nations come together to talk about the environment, while there are other pressing problems like terrorism? Well, the truth is that the challenges that the environment faces are worse than terrorism; unless the world takes a common stand towards protecting the environment, mankind’s very existence is in jeopardy.
So what does it exactly mean to be environmentally responsible?
Being environmentally friendly simply means being thoughtful of our day to day activities, in relation to the environment we live in. From our lifestyles, to driving to the workplace, to how we spend our day at work; all these provide us with an opportunity to be eco responsible.
How to eco responsible;
When you rise up in the morning, what do you do fast? When ironing your clothes to go to work, do you mind your usage of power, or you care less? Always start with the clothes that need more power, and finish with the light ones that won’t consume much power.
- When it is time to go to work, again, think of all the co2 your car emits, just to drive 2 miles away to work. Consider opting for public transport, or ride a bike to work; it’s healthier anyway, besides reducing your carbon emissions.
- When you arrive at work as the first person in the morning, open the windows, let natural light come in. Switch off security lights and others that are not in use during the daytime.
- When it is meal time at work, don’t rush to throw away left over foods; wrap them nicely, and consider carrying them home in the evening to feed chicken, or dogs. Preparing new meals for your pet or yourself always consumes energy that is derived from the environment.
- Plant trees/ flowers; planting trees not only makes your home or work place beautiful; it also helps consume the c02 produced by industries and by man.
- Avoid junk foods; one may assume that junk foods are bad only for your health; but truth is that they also harm the environment. Junk foods bought from supermarkets are wrapped in polythene bags that litter the compound, and are also difficult to rot when disposed of. Besides, most of these junk foods like sugary beverages, fried chicken, candies, all are produced in large-scale industries that consume thousands of tons of coal and energy each year. Supposing we all kept off from junk foods? The world would be a cleaner, healthier place to be in!
