EARTH- Why don't we love it?

Instead of discussing about the blahs I and you do as part of our daily routine and how we tend to waste resources in our day-to-day life I would like to kick start on what can be done to curb the wastage. Or still better rather than advising people what to do, let me tell you what I have done  and what I wished I could do (and if you feel you can adopt these things in your life then I would really not mind plagiarism upon acting on this post!).

I live on earth and I love it.

I want it to be the same for my son to grow and live happily.

Here are a few things that I have already started doing and a few things I plan to do.

My big three mistakes!

Right now I stay in USA and it's really easy for anybody here to go ga-ga over use and throw stuffs since there is no domestic help available. 

• I did fall in pray to the plastic for some time and used plastic utensils (cups, plates, spoons....) during parties at my place only to avoid and save myself from washing a large number of dishes at the end of the party. 
• For a couple of months now we have been sleeping at night with lights on since my son was having night terrors.  
• I have been using a lot of tap hot water (I was unaware for many days that the water gets heated using gas) which is readily available anytime in USA since it is winter here in Newyork and it's freezing cold all the time.

How I corrected my-self?

• I started using more of reusable dishes even during get together at my home. I asked my two close friends to help me with the cores after the party and they were happy to give a helping hand. And I do offer them the same kind of help when a party ends at their home. It's all mutual understanding now! In unavoidable situation I try to replace plastic with paper (which I know is not good for trees either but will try and find some solution for it as well).
• Touch wood, my son has no more night terrors, it was a phase in his life and has thank fully ended. And even the pediatrician advised us not to worry and lights have nothing to do with it. Now we no more keep the lights on during nights. 
• I thought hot water would be a better option when it comes to washing dishes in freezing temperature! But, once I was aware of the fact that the water is heated using the gas I drastically reduced using hot water to save gas (plus my hubby's pocket... the gas bill!). Instead, I now wash in normal water and also save my hands from running out of moisture due to excess hot water all the time. 

What else I wished I could do?

- Water first. I don't see the problem of water much here in USA. But in India it's a major issue. As the summer has started I have already started hearing about water scarcity from my family. My maid back in India used gallons of water even for a tiniest of the tiniest job she did.  

Once I am back to Bangalore I will strictly warn her to use water as if it was not flowing from the tap but she had brought it all the way from ground floor to fourth floor!

- Taking the car daily to office which carries not more than one person does not make sense. I know using public transport comes in with it's own problems but should be used more where ever possible. One of the best option is maximum usage of bi-cycles to cover short distance.

This will reduce fuel consumption, pollution, helps reduce green house gases and also reduces the growing traffic.

- Cleanliness is important but not just at home but also the surroundings. Even the so called educated people do not bother much to keep the roads, foot paths, parks, public places,.... clean. Most of us are carefree and think we are too busy to take notice of dustbins outside our homes.  

Try to breath fresh and this can happen only if the world outside your home is also clean! 

- A few other important simple yet effective things include switching off lights when not necessary, conducting workshops in villages to bring awareness about saving resources, encouraging school and college projects based on effective resource management, imposing laws to encourage limited usage of non-biodegradable sources (e.g plastic, some chemicals,...), a municipality initiation in collecting domestic waste on weekly bases, ..........     

One last major thing I will do on a daily bases in years to come.

I ask my son who is just 19 months old not to play in water which he is really found off. It's not all that easy as it sounds. He makes me go crazy every time I am near the water. He will open the tap and enjoy after splashing water on the floor, getting wet himself and making my clothes drenched in water. It's just an innocent playful act for him though I make it a point to stop him and not to encourage him. 

Right now there is nothing much I can do but in years to come I will for sure guide my son to lead his life as a responsible human, as a responsible citizen and as a responsible man. Because, after all today's kids are tomorrow's future.