It promotes the sustainability of not only energy and resources but also the environment besides encouraging the development of green technology that is ways to create cleaner, safer means of waste disposal while reducing the impact on the environment and all habitats.
World Nature Conservation Day is an annual event held on July 28. This day stresses the need for preserving a healthy environment and natural resources to maintain a stable and healthy society. Saving plants and animals that face the threat of extinction is one of the primary goals of World Nature Conservation Day. Also, the celebrations emphasize keeping the various components of nature such as flora, fauna, energy resources, soil, water, and air intact. In addition, World Nature Conservation Day underlines the need for preserving the environment for future generations. We are therefore tasked with the need to leave a healthy planet for those coming after us to enjoy.
Human activities during the last century have had a devastating impact on natural vegetation and other resources. The quest for rapid industrialization and cutting down of forest cover to make space for the ever-growing population has caused climate change and other environmental implications.
As much as awareness about environmental conservation has increased in the past few years, there is still a long way to go before positive steps show their results. In recent times, the need for conserving the environment has become more evident. The relentless human overexploitation of resources has led to unusual weather patterns, destruction of wildlife habitats, extinction of species, and loss of biodiversity. Sadly, this is the norm the world over.
Reduce, reuse and recycle – all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy. Plus, the three R’s save land and money that communities must use to dispose of waste in landfills. Siting a new landfill has become difficult and more expensive due to environmental regulations and public opposition.”
By refusing to buy items that you don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing the items that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, you can contribute towards a healthier planet.
Reduce
The concept of reducing what is produced and what is consumed is essential to the waste hierarchy. The logic behind it is simple to understand – if there is less waste, then there is less to recycle or reuse.The process of ‘reduce’ begins with an examination of what you are using, and what it is used for. There are three simple steps to assessing the reduction value of an item or process –
Is there something else that can be used for this purpose?
A lot of our waste material comes from items that are considered to be “disposable.” Not in the sense that you use something once and then throw it away, that can actually be a part of environmental responsibility when you are working with medical items – disposable in this sense means whether or not what the item allows you to do has any real meaning or purpose.
Here are some of the things you can do to reduce waste:
Print on both sides of the paper to reduce paper wastage.
Use electronic mail to reach out to people instead of sending paper mail.
Remove your name from the mailing lists that you no longer want to receive.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
Avoid using disposable plates, spoons, glass, cups and napkins. They add to the problem and result in a large amount of waste.
Avoid buying items that are over-packaged with foil, paper, and plastic. This excess packaging goes to waste.
Buy durable goods that have an extended warranty. They generally run longer and save landfill space.
Use refillable pens instead of buying too many.
Purchase multi-tasking products that perform different kinds of jobs in one.
If something doesn’t have a valid purpose or real use anymore, then it adds to your waste. If you’re not using any item for a long time, it’s time to put it away.
Reuse
You may have a box of things you keep that are broken or that you don’t have a use for that you hang on to in-case you find another use for them; or you may find bargains on old furniture or go trash picking and get things that you can refinish – in either case you are working towards reusing the item. Learning to reuse items, or repurpose them for use different from what they are intended for is essential in the waste hierarchy.One of the best examples of how this is being done today is the modular construction of homes and office buildings that are being created out of discarded shipping containers.
You may either reuse those items for your own use or donate so that others can use them.
Reuse below items:
Old jars and pots: Old jars and pots can be used to store items in the kitchen. They can also be used to store loose items together, such as computer wires.
Tyres: Old tyres can either be sent to the recycling station or can be used to make tyre-swing.
Used wood: Used wood can be used as firewood or can be used as woodcraft.
Newspaper: Old newspapers can be used to pack items when you’re planning to move to another home or store old items.
Envelopes: Old and waste envelopes can be used by children to make short notes.
Waste paper: Waste paper can be used to make notes and sketches and can be sent to the recycling center when you don’t need them anymore.
Old jeans or t-shirts or any clothes: These can be turned into bags or tote-bags with the help of tutorials available on the internet. At least old clothes can become cleaning rags.
Donate below items:
Old books: Your old books can be used by poor children or can be donated to public libraries.
Old clothes: Your unwanted clothes can be used by street children or can be donated to charity institutions.
Old electric equipment: Old electric equipment can be donated to schools or NGO’s so that they can use them.
Rechargeable batteries: Rechargeable batteries can be used again and again and help to reduce unnecessary wastage as opposed to regular batteries.
Build your own compost bin: Use the compost bin to put many waste items like used tea bags, tea leaves and grains, fruit peels, etc. The waste then degrades and turns into compost that helps your plants grow and shine.
Be creative: Apply DIY on old clothes, bottles, jars, pots, vases, or anything else to convert them into other utilities and use further.
Repair damaged items: Items, when repaired, can be used again without buying replacements.
Second-hand stores: Visit second-hand stores and purchase second-hand goods. Second-hand stores and garage sales can offer usable items in better condition and will save you some money in the process than buying new ones.
Recycling
To recycle something means that it will be transformed again into a raw material that can be shaped into a new item. However, there are very few materials on the earth that cannot be recycled.One of the issues bothering communities that want to become more involved with a recycling effort is that while the relying collection and sorting process may be affordable to implement, there still has to be a facility to receive and transform the discarded waste into a raw material to produce new products. More progress is being made toward uniting recycling plants with industries that can process the waste material through agreements and incentive credits.One needs to learn as to what products can be recycled and what they cannot. By carefully choosing the products that can be recycled, it can be the first step towards efficient recycling.
Buy products from the market that are made up of recycled materials i.e., the product should be environment friendly.
All products are recyclable such as some plastics. There is usually a recycling symbol on the bottom of products to know whether or not it is recyclable.
Buy products that can be recycled like paper, glass, aluminum, plastic, etc. used in the house, school or office. Aluminum can be recycled multiple times.
Invent new ways to recycle different items. However, recyclables need to be gathered systematically and separated from the rest of the trash, ensuring a continuous supply for the recycling process.
Avoid buying hazardous materials that could pose difficulty for you to recycle. Buy non-toxic products whenever possible.
Buy products that have been made from recycled materials.
Using recycled products is as important as recycling items. Recycling can become economically viable only when the recycled products are given significance and put to use.
Use recycled paper for printing or making paper handicrafts.
Since there will be a significant reduction in the amount of waste thrown into the environment, the chances of spreading toxins also decrease. It automatically reduces the levels of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.The Waste Hierarchy eliminates the practice of improper waste disposal, i.e., burning waste and trash haphazardly in an uncontrolled manner. Rather it enables us to manage waste in an eco-friendly manner lessening the risk of damage to the environment.
