Giving Back to Mother Nature!

The below is something that I have thought to write about for a long time. Infact, I have been writing this article for a long time too. I don’t intend to preach, but I want to share a few things that even if a few of us start following would make a change! Let’s save Mother Nature. I would say that I follow 80% of it except the alternative fuel part. It might be a long one, but am sure definitely worth it! Happy reading!

As Always,

Rajkumar K.

GREEN

• When you construct a new building be it a house or a multiplex, please ensure that you consult an architect and ensure that your building is GREEN in terms of energy consumption! There are quiet a lot factors like more walls less glass to retain heat, meaning good insulation.
  
• Solar powered devices; Start using them to at least heat water for bathing. These instruments have matured and probably a bit cheaper than earlier.
  
• Green Energy: Wind Energy, Nuclear energy etc., try to start using it! Of course we need to generate. Nuclear Energy rests with the Government. At least for the wind energy, if you have the financial capacity and the will, please do so. You are saving not just your children, but future of the humans as well!
  

Power

• Switch of unwanted lights and fans or any other electrical equipment. 
  
• Defrost your refrigerator twice a week.
  
• Start using the CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps). We all know it consumes only a 1/4th of the electricity and lasts longer.
  
• Check for the models from the manufacturers whose USP is energy efficiency. This will help reduce electricity consumption and reduce emission as well.
  
• Educate people on how to utilize the free electricity they get. Many rural areas in TN, Bihar etc.., receive it and it would good if they have good counseling on how to utilize it. For instance, stop the pump sets when required promptly. Usage of one min extra means loss of both water and power! Educate them on energy efficient pump sets rather than free TVs!
  
• Shutdown your computers; they consume a lot of energy during stand by mode (as much as 3 X 60 watts bulb). And most importantly switch off your monitors too!
• At work or at a shopping mall or places that have elevators, avoid using them! Am sure most of us are healthy enough to climb up stairs!
• Remember, power saved is power gained!

WATER

• Use Drip irrigation for big cultivation lands and sprinklers for your own lawn. 
  
• While applying soap on you or while shaving shut your taps. 
  
• Use Dishwasher if possible!
  
• Improve ground water level; Water harvesting!
  
• Recycle water!
  

Fuel Efficiency

• Buy Fuel efficient cars. For every litre of Petrol burnt 4 kgs of CO2 is released into the atmosphere! So try to pool cars as well. You could end up saving your money and also fuel and also the environment. For shorter distances say up to 2 kms take a walk or even a bi cycle, so that petrol is saved. If your public transport system is too good, please take it. 
  
• If you have to travel to some place for a meeting, try to close the meeting over a phone. This will save a lot of time and of course fuel as well. Imagine for a meeting for two days, travel from Shanghai to San Diego in Chile (an exaggerated statement though it happens in reality)! What a waste of time/money/fuel?
  
• All of us know that our tyre pressure directly linked to the performance of our vehicles. Constantly check the pressure and particularly after leaving you vehicles idle for more than 3 days.
  

Alternative Fuel

• Create Alternative fuels. There are quiet a lot from bio diesel to ethanol.
  
• Start looking at auto motives that run on alternative fuels.
  

Save Nature

• Plastic Bags: Well a lot has been said about this. We all know the environmental problems faced by this factor. Ground water levels going down to emission levels because of those decaying bags!
  
• Paper: Stop wasting paper. Do not use them unless absolutely necessary. Even while printing a document, you can have print options set to “Print on both sides” and “print 2 pages in a sheet” It saves three sheets of paper for a document of four page size.
  
• Plant Trees: Let us allow nature to come back to what it was. Let’s not cut trees. Lets Plant trees! Imagine if every one of us will grow one tree each we would have planted 2.5 billion trees between the Chinese and the Indians.
  
• Water Harvesting!

People

• With the environment pollution being at its worst, we should prepare ourselves for natural and epidemic disasters. Ensure that time and again you are aware of how the local hospitals are best placed in case of such disasters!
  
• If you are buying something, absolutely be sure that you need it. Else do not buy! We know all of us get tempted by the look of something. But let’s try to restrict ourselves. With the current look of the global economy, I think it makes sense!
  
• Create awareness on the environmental pollution among your friends and fellow citizens of earth!
  
• Be the first to make the change rather than questioning the system!
• http://www.uttishthata.org/2007/07/06/a-letter-to-every-indian-apj/