Your tiny and precious hand caresses the pages while the crayons move in magic to capture a simple scene. Remember, dear, the sun, the black bird in the shape of a V, and the lush green trees are all that you want to show in your portrait, but don’t forget to see the whole picture. That beautiful view is long gone. We are in an era that seems to destroy that imagery! Fear not, for it is never too late to take the small steps towards saving that exact idea.
The word "sustainable" means to maintain and support. The idea behind sustainability is to use all that is available to us in a careful way so that everyone in our future can also access the same. Sustainability is essentially a futuristic idea and helps make the world a better place in the process. To achieve sustainability, we must be mindful of how we spend the resources that are available to us. We must be aware of all the ways in which we can coordinate and cooperate to achieve such sustainability goals. We must be conscious of all the waste we produce and try to employ the mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in our lives.
To fulfill each word of this particular mantra in our lives, let’s explore a few ways we can achieve this. To reduce waste, first we must be aware of all the waste we tend to generate in our daily lives. For instance, takeout comes with its own packaging, which is not always reusable. We can be conscious and reduce the waste generated by bringing containers for the takeout!
Reusing, of course, is a concept that is not alien to us! It can be defined by the life-cycle of a favorite t-shirt in my house. When mom wants me to stop wearing it because it is so worn out, that beloved t-shirt gets assigned the new and responsible role of a wonderful “chappa tuni” (waste cloth/dusting cloth) instead of running to the store to get a brand new one. Fare-ye well, good friend. You served your purpose once and continue to do so!
Recycling is another concept that is gaining popularity in every Indian mother’s kitchen, as she tries every day to get her garden tomatoes to multiply! Wet waste generated in our kitchens such as peels, shells etc act as great nourishment for soil thereby more nourishment for all the fruits that a garden can bear!
“Too often the environment is seen as one small piece of the economy. But it’s not just one little thing; it’s what every single thing in our lives depends on. " This quote by Annie Leonard speaks volumes about how dependent we are on our environment . It seeks to remind us that all that we do towards its protection, every eco-friendly measure we take, every time we refuse to use harmful plastic, every conscious effort towards reducing the purchase of unnecessary things which might be wasteful matters a lot in the long run.
We can also implement it in how we exchange gifts or show affection to a loved one.
When it comes to the concept of eco-friendliness, creativity is on the rise. Those on the run to do their part towards helping the environment and towards sustainability itself, are always on the lookout for alternative and eco-friendly options. To encourage a larger group of people, these concepts are being infused into fun exchanges such as gifting!
In an age where festivals and birthdays have exploded into grandeur, a little thought towards the environment can go a long way. These are times where eco-friendly gifts and mindful ways of shopping play a key role in sustainability. So the next time a friend is adding another candle to their birthday cake, or it's a peace offering for a sibling after a quarrel, try and aim for eco-friendly and sustainable gifts. You can always associate yourself with handmade gifting brands like Ahavah Crafts and become an advocate of sustainability by choosing to send love to your friends and family with hamper baskets filled with lovely handmade crafts that support rural livelihoods curated and packaged elegantly in eco-friendly gift boxes !
- Written by Thrisha
(To read more of Thrisha's work, you may visit :https://tskwrites.blogspot.com)