Somewhere near Delhi

Alas Mother India, let us all call out loudly.

12 simple things that can make a world of difference.

1. Free Water served in the millions of small & big restaurants in India. Many people take this as granted, the server & the served. I have noticed that the water served in many instances is taken back as is & drained into the sink. Be responsible just ask what you absolutely require, no more. Discourage free serving of water if you don’t really need it. These are years of forceful habits. It will not change if we do not make a conscious effort.
2. Don’t be penny-pinching on fixing the plumbing, no matter how small the leak. Remember the old saying ‘Little Drops Make the Mighty Ocean’. The future war is going to be fought over water. Save Water, Save our Future Generation.
3. Say no to Straw. Every time you drink a Milk Shake, Tender Coconut Water or a Fresh Juice remember that this plastic straw is going into Landfills that eventually has no other way to go. Plastic straw is a menace. Stop using it now.
4. Avoidance of Single use Plastic is the biggest behaviour change that can make a difference. Make conscious effort the avoid Plastic cutlery, plastic bags, party cups etc.
5. Remember the Pizza story. They encouraged people to use their hands to eat their pizza, served the Pizzas in recyclable boxes. Use more of your hands so that you don’t waste precious water to wash cutlery & by doing so, you also reduce the amount of detergent & power used for washing the cutlery. Finally know it from us, Food tastes better when you eat with your hands!
6. Walk the walk or run the bicycle. Short errands to the neighbourhood kirana* shop, especially for bread & milk can be conducted without burning the fuel of your motorised bike.
7. Always, carry a Cloth Bag for your daily grocery shopping to avoid the use of Plastics. Buy Milee Bags. #SayNoToPlastics
8. Up-Cycling is good. By doing so, you are reducing materials in the landfill & finding better use for discarded materials. Experiments with Water Hyacinth & Clamshells are ongoing.
9. Let us all remind ourselves the old saying, ‘Charity begins at Home’. Children need to learn & imbibe early. Show them the way for better waste management practices. Birthday parties & wedding ceremonies produce a lot of waste. This is where we can start building green communities. Spare a thought.
10. Engage kindly with the habitual polluters. Spare a moment, occasionally, talk to the Truck drivers, Auto Drivers, Old Cabbies, Pick Up Drivers & Tractor owners belching out black smoke in the open.
11. Remember that world population is growing exponentially whilst food production is increasing only numerically. There will be a time when there will be no arable land to meet the demand to feed millions of mouth. Take a pledge, not to waste food, not a single grain, there are many people in the world living in starvation.
12. Spread the word as time is running out.

*Kirana stores are small groceries shops.