With people now becoming more conscious about the environment, the Green Lifestyle has become popular. But how is it different from all those lifestyles that espouse mindful living? The difference is who or what you put at the center of your values. Although mindful living greatly values respect for all creatures of the earth, at the core of this lifestyle is mankind, especially focused on the self.
Following a green lifestyle, however, the self becomes part of the environment. You value yourself because what happens to you would affect nature, as humans are necessarily connected to other creatures, to other parts of the environment.
Is green living difficult? Not necessarily. But it’s a shift in perspective. We have here some simple practices that you can try. Then decide later on if it’s worth a go.
Grow your food scraps
If your food is organic, it would mean you’re the seed in the fruit or the roots of your vegetable would keep renewing its life. As you have noticed, genetically modified fruits may not contain seeds to make it more convenient for consumers to eat. It’s also because producers don’t want buyers to start propagating them as this would compete with their products. That is also the reason why many modified vegetables and crops are also designed to just have one use. Their seeds or roots could not be planted. If they are replanted, they would not bear fruit or would have a corrupted version of the fruit.
Take note that gardening isn’t immediately ‘green living.’ Gardening done wrong could also have negative impacts on the environment. In many cases, gardening has been promoted not because it helps the environment but so that it can generate income for investors. There are instances where plant sellers import exotic species, removing them from their natural habitat.
And then these are introduced to a new location where there is also unique biodiversity. If the impact of these plants is not properly studied, they could destroy the native species in a locality. Lavish gardens are also controversial as right now, there are ‘water wars’ around the world. Using up too much of a resource while others are dying for lack of it is insensitive, to say the least.
Use renewable energy
Fossil fuel is not only the most harmful source of energy but is also depleting fast. Use solar power instead as this energy could not be depleted. Also, even if the installation could be a bit expensive at the start, you will be saving in the long run.
Additionally, save energy by making sure everything is unplugged and the lights are switched off. Use motion detectors in some areas of the house instead of having an overnight light. For dark spots in your backyard, there are solar-powered light sticks you could put around your garden. They are not very bright, but they will provide the illumination you need to see suspicious figures around your house.
Lessen your carbon footprint in your mode of transportation
Although people are hoping that the electricity-powered car is the solution for the huge carbon footprint of the transportation sector, using mass transportation still is the most logical way to address it. For a certain amount of fuel or energy used, more people will be transported. A private vehicle could only transport five to twelve people, depending on the model.
The same principle follows when traveling. Private tours are nice and comfortable. But you’re being selfish with all that energy consumption.
Opt for reusable materials
It’s not enough that you stop using plastics. Going biodegradable is not the solution because even those would take the time to decompose naturally. You can check out exactly how long those biodegradable materials would clog up sewers or pile up in the dumpsite. Instead of one-use things, buy something that would last long.
Support the paperless movement
Going paperless is easy nowadays because you could practically do anything electronically. However, at the same time, you should also be conscious of the lifespan of your gadgets. The production of these electronic gadgets is resource-heavy. But people discard their cellphones, laptops, and tablets just because there’s a new one in the market. Developers will never stop tweaking these products. So decide your use for these gadgets and choose the one that will best serve you. If you happen to have a new workload that will need new functions, see if you could get these functions with an upgrade. Only when it’s really necessary should you buy a new one.
Going green will be hard or easy depending on how you are looking at the world in the first place. If you see it as a thing that is there for you to use, then the Green Lifestyle would be very difficult. However, if you feel that you are part of it, that you improve or corrode with it, then it’s very easy for you to follow practices that are considerate of your environment.
