Steps to be taken to keep our environment safe and clean


Don't we all want to breathe the fresh air and drink fresh water? But how is that possible when our environment is polluted and not clean? Here are some steps that each one of us must take in order to keep our environment safe and clean.

Introduction


A safe and clean environment not only is good for humankind but for all the creatures in this environment. The substances that damage the equilibrium of the environment will definitely have an adverse effect on its living beings as well. For example, using plastic products, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, contaminated water, pollutions etc can lead to various health issues in humans as well as in animals. As we humans are the reason for environment pollution, we should take the necessary steps to clean it before it is too late. Today, the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe all are polluted. This affects animals, birds, marine life and humans as well. We cannot make a big change by ourselves, but that does not mean we should not take any step towards keeping the environment clean. Let us start doing our tiny bit so that it will add up to a remarkable change.

1. Limit the usage of plastic and plastic products


As you start using more and more plastic products, plastic wastage also increases. We are all aware that plastic takes time to decompose, hence we should limit its usage and thereby the wastage. Why I used the term 'limit' is because completely stopping the usage of plastic is not possible as we get almost everything from the tiniest product to the big ones in plastic. And, when compared to the rates of related products, plastic is much cheaper and affordable. Also, the medical industry relies largely on plastic products. Hence we will have to depend upon plastic to a certain extent. Even if we can't make a big change, at least we can attempt to take small steps to preserve our environment.

  • Substitute glass containers for plastic ones in the kitchen.
  • Change your plastic water bottle to steel, glass or a copper one. And, stop buying bottled water.
  • Carry a ceramic mug rather than using plastic cups and say no to straws.
  • Stop the usage of plastic bags and start using reusable bags made of jute, cloth etc.
  • Choose cotton sanitary pads as most menstrual products contain plastics.

2. Avoid pesticides and chemical fertilizers


Earlier, more people were into farming, but now the number has drastically reduced. We should make it a point to cultivate at least a few vegetables and fruits for our basic needs on our own. As we rely more on the exported foods, the worse our health condition will be. The people who cultivate food products in bulk for business purposes will definitely aim at making a profit. Hence they tend to use pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which in turn is polluting the earth and makes the product unhealthy to consume. These chemical pesticides and fertilizers are easily available in the market, that even people buy it for their plants at home. Start using natural fertilizers as it is safe for the environment. You can utilize almost all the scrap and waste in your kitchen as a fertilizer. Some of the natural fertilizers are mentioned below:

  • Cow dung and manure
  • Banana peels and eggshells
  • Used tea dust and coffee grounds
  • Starch water and water used to clean and wash fish

3. Speak up and file a complaint if necessary


Everything starts at home, hence if we change there will definitely be an impact. I agree that there are many people who throw waste and contaminate the water. Factories dump their industrial waste into water bodies. Butchery shops dump their daily waste on road sides or in the river. All these will lead to serious health concerns and will pollute our environment. How do we stop these? We cannot go meet each and every person and ask them to stop doing such unhealthy practices. But definitely we can speak up and raise our voice to let the world know about it so that the culprits will be ashamed and scared to do it the next time. With the advent of technology and social networking sites, it has become easy for the common man to raise his voice. Don't be an introvert and expect others to raise their voices. Be a role model and stand for the society you live in. Here are a few steps you can take to stop others polluting the environment.

  • Raise a complaint to the authorities if required.
  • Write a post on social networking sites and spread it so that the higher authorities will get to see it.
  • Try to conduct an awareness program in your society so that people are aware of the serious issues their acts may lead to.
  • Inform media about it as that they will take it up and will bring to the notice of the authorities and the common public will be made aware of.

4. Start using public transport


We all need air to live. It is one of the most important things required for us to survive. Still, we pollute it. Gone are the days when people used to breathe fresh air. Now that we breathe in polluted air, we fall sick fast. The increasing usage of vehicles and the growing number of factories and industries leads to air pollution. How can we do our part to save the environment? The more the number of vehicles on the road, the more pollution. Hence instead of using different vehicles for each individual, start using public transport. This leads to fewer vehicles on the road and less traffic which in turn reduces pollution. Also, cut down on your outings as the more number of outings, the more you will travel. This again leads to pollution. Another step we can do from our end is to start planting more trees as they absorb the carbon di oxide emitted from vehicles and thereby keeping the environment safe and clean.

5. Conserve water


Water is another basic necessity of life. However, the water we drink today is not free from chemicals. All the water bodies are polluted by industrial and human waste. Secondly, the bottled water we get to buy is also not free from toxins as plastic containers are used to store water. The only way for us to have clean drinking water is to boil the water. But what can the environment do to protect the water bodies? We should not let the factories to open their units near to residential areas and close to water bodies as it will be easy for them to dump waste. Make it a point that we do not dump plastic and other waster products into the water bodies as it leads to the death of many marine animals. Also, we should conserve the water as we have to save it for the coming generations as well.

  • Do not let the tap open unnecessarily.
  • Try rainwater harvesting and use it to water the plants and to clean the dishes.
  • Fix the water leakages in the toilets and kitchen immediately.
  • Install water-saving showerheads and avoid long showers.
  • Start reusing water, like using the water used to wash clothes to water the plants.

Conclusion


Love your mother nature as if she is not safe, then we are also not safe. The benefits we make by polluting her are temporary, in the long run, we can be safe only if we keep her clean. Start protecting our natural resources as without those we cannot survive for long. Teach our kids to mingle with nature so that they will start loving nature and the earth. As the environment is already highly polluted, it might take decades to make it safe and clean. However, that shouldn't stop us from doing our bit. Remember, little drops make an ocean.


Comments

Author: DR.N.V. Srinivasa Rao11 Oct 2019 Member Level: Platinum   Points : 8

The author has given a good account of keeping the environment clean and has brought out very nicely the important points which are necessary for having a good environment. The remedies she proposed are very good and if they are followed the balance in the environment can be maintained.

Another point is smoking. The carbonaceous gases that are left in the environment by the smokers are equally dangerous like the smoke that is emitted from a vehicle. People who are having this habit can slowly get out of this by inculcating diversion technique.

Another important point is to improve plantation and stop cutting trees. Trees are required for maintaining good oxygen levels in the air. We consume oxygen and leave carbon dioxide out. That will be taken by these trees and they will release oxygen. The requirement for oxygen is increasing as the population is increasing. But the generation of oxygen is getting reduced. So to balance this we should not cut any tree but should plant more and more trees.

Again, controlling industrial pollution is important. We all know industries are very essential for the growth of the country and for generating employment. But at the same time, we should see that they will never create any pollution problem. All the companies should implement good practices of manufacturing and implement time tested methods for effluent treatment and see that they will not increase the pollution. The concerned authorities should be strict and see that they implement all required treatment facilities on the premises. If the treatment is going to be costly, the government should encourage common effluent treatment plants and they should be operated efficiently.

Author: Sanjeev Gupta12 Oct 2019 Member Level: Gold   Points : 4

A nice article presented by the author. We must limit the use of plastic bags and products made of plastic. Plastic is harmful than other materials as it doesn't decompose. People are getting aware of the same but they cannot resist the use as it has become inseparable from our life.

Here are a few ways to reduce pollution :
1. Conserve energy at home/work. We should not waste electricity. Sometimes at home, we don't switch off the appliance even when not in use. We should not let it happen even at work or at home.
2. One should not use a vehicle for the small distance and should maximise the use of bicycle and should encourage the use of electric vehicles.
3. Apart from this, there are many small things we may do to save our environment like don't throw waste in the water bodies, don't burn waste, use solar energy as much as you can.

Author: Varghese12 Oct 2019 Member Level: Diamond   Points : 6

A very encouraging and informative post that will help everyone to "limit", as the author mentioned, the usage of plastic products if one cannot completely stop its usage instantly. The author has made a clear and precise resource that will help everyone to understand the ways to make our mother earth a better place to live and keep it the same for the future generation.

Regarding the 4th point by the author asking people to use public transport, one can understand about the pollution in the city when we just go out on the road or if you have a roadside house. It is not just air pollution but it also creates noise pollution. You can use private vehicles for family purpose but try to use public transport for commuting to school, office or any personal single-use. You may think that it won't affect much but this will help to keep the heat, noise and air pollution under control if many like us think in the same way.

Water is a source of life and we need water for our survival. We have known through news, articles and other sources that there is a scarcity of water at many places and we need to conserve water for everyone. Try to limit the use of water and avoid wastage of it. A drop saved will help many.

Author: Hakimuddin Kuwakhedawala18 Oct 2019 Member Level: Gold   Points : 3

A very good article by the author to make us aware of the environment. The government has already implemented steps to create awareness among the students to keep our environment clean. Different NGOs are also working for a better environment.

A team of NGOs visited my school yesterday and conducted different programs like drawing, quiz competition, rally, etc among the students. The students also cleaned the road and the area where our school is situated.

If we conduct such programs on a routine basis there is a good chance to make our environment neat and clean.

Author: Wilson K. Mathew31 Oct 2019 Member Level: Gold   Points : 15

The author has come up with a very thought-provoking topic. But when considering the steps to protect and keep the environment clean, it is important to first consider the impacts on the environment. What is important is that through our actions, the ozone layer above the Earth is being thinned, its layers are getting cracked, and those cracks are getting bigger. As a consequence, ultraviolet rays are likely to strike the earth at large. It will make human life on earth difficult. Greenhouse gases, factories, large industries, and gases emitted from the land contribute to the reduction and destruction of the ozone layer. In addition, the smoke emitted by vehicles and the burning of pollutants and plastics is poisoning the atmosphere, causing massive destruction of the ozone layer. These are the causes of pollution and the lack of oxygen.

Let us consider how to solve the above problems.
1. Take steps to minimize or eliminate greenhouse gases at their source and to reduce their emissions.
2. To prohibit or regulate the emission of toxic fumes from factories, workplaces, and industry.
3. Discourage the use of petrol and diesel as automotive fuels and promote the use of natural gas.
4. Ensure that trees and plants are planted and maintained in abundance- in all empty places and that no trees except that are harmful to public life are cut down.

The next major need is freshwater. Many sources of freshwater have been polluted. We are responsible for that. The lack of freshwater bother us but it is a joke for us to simply wastewater. What to do:
1. Take pottable water only for necessities.
2. Take special care not to contaminate freshwater sources.
3. Ensure that wastewater streams do not reach the source of fresh water.

Cleaning the premises is another subject.
1. Waste in our home needs to be treated at our premises. Autonomous bodies should take steps to remove them from unaffordable homes.
2. All local bodies should set up waste treatment plants. Collecting organic and inorganic waste separately will make the job of extracting them easier.
3. Instal waste bins to collect waste on public roads.

Plastic is the main villain in polluting the environment. So we have to keep a great distance from plastic. For that, the points raised by the author and other commenters need to be implemented effectively.

Author: shabir ali baig31 Oct 2019 Member Level: Gold   Points : 1

Yes, plastic is the main culprit in polluting the environment. Cleaning the premises is the starting point I think, first from the premises and then the surroundings.



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