Everyday, I am confronted with the realities of environmental degradation. The moment I step outside my house, the warm atmosphere instantly reminds me of just how much my surroundings have changed over the years. Furthermore, incessant news of the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife give me even more reason to believe that the world that I am living in is indeed facing major crises on multiple levels.
Although the number of people expressing their advocacy for going green has significantly grown in recent years, the understanding of this movement still remain to be very limited.
Generally, people only think of it in terms of recycling, reducing energy consumption and conscious use of water. Please don’t get me wrong, I think that these are all greatly helpful measures; however, I believe that it’s high time that people discover and explore other ways to help preserve our precious planet.
Do you agree with me? Yes? If so, let me share with you 2 of my favorite lesser-known but equally important ways on how to go green:
- Green Building. Apply green building principles. Otherwise known as green construction or sustainable building, green building is the practice of applying environment-friendly and resource-efficient methods to design, build, maintain, renovate and demolish structures. By and large, its aim is to reduce the impact of buildings to the environment and human health.Fundamental principles governing green building are as follows: (1) preserving the site’s existing natural water cycle; (2) minimizing adverse impacts of the building on the environment; (3) providing a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environment for building occupants and visitors; and (4) minimizing the use of non-renewable construction materials and other resources.
- Green Eating. Eat organic vegetables, fruits, meats and poultry. Everybody must be aware of the fact that organic food is healthier for the body as they are free from chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, hormones, antibiotics and other harmful chemicals. But I doubt that a lot of people know that choosing organic food also helps preserve the environment.Factory farming which relies on chemicals and genetic engineering to grow food destroy ecosystems, deplete soil nutrients and cause air, soil and water pollution. Organic farming on the other hand, uses traditional practices that promote crop rotation, natural pest control and biodiversity.Finding organic food too expensive? Well, a good way to eat green and not outdo your budget is to grow your own food. If you don’t have space for a garden, be creative and make use of pots, buckets or boxes and place them in your balcony, sunroom, beside your window—anywhere where they can get some sun.
Everything that we do has an impact on the planet that we are living in. However, the good thing is that each of us has the power to control the kind of impact that we create. By making the right choices in terms of where we live, what we eat and how we treat our surroundings, we can make the world a better place to live in—not only for ourselves but for our children.
Author Bio:
Hi! I’m Rena Nicole. I have a great love for the planet and have a strong commitment to share this passion to as many people as possible. I embody my cause of preserving the life and beauty of our world through my web-based show entitled The Rena Nicole Show and my Mag-e-zine GreenRena.
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