Sustainability is a broad term that describes managing resources without compromising the needs for future generations.
Sustainability is still considered a fancy term for people who think this something hard to achieve. It might be, that this concept is already a part of their daily lives and they are doing better than those who ‘practice and preach’ sustainability. The reason can be that the concept is versatile and goes beyond just the environmental sustainability. Economic and social sustenance of resources is also a part of this broad concept.
In order to understand and appreciate how you practice sustainability, have a look at the checklist below and give yourself a credit (by giving 1 mark against each activity).
- YOU DESPISE PLASTIC
This is a problem that everyone can relate to. If you are aware of the fact that most of the waste that leaves your house is composed of plastics and you do not like discarding too much of it either. If you know that our oceans, rivers and sewers are flooded with tonnes of plastics and want to do something about it then you are a ‘sustainability champion’. Pat your back and give yourself a credit!
- YOU DO NOT WASTE FOOD
You know how much effort it takes for farmers to grow all these precious crops, vegetables and fruits. And you also know the amount of energy and money it requires to become the food you have on your table every day. If you avoid throwing away your meal and you rather consider saving it, reusing it and sharing it with others then you are none other than a ‘sustainability champion’. You should take pride of the fact that you were able to conserve not just the food but also the vital resources such as water. Don’t forget to give yourself a mark!
- YOU BUY ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES
If you have recently or previously replaced your tungsten bulbs with LEDs or . Your boilers, kettles, microwave, gadgets and batteries are labelled as eco-friendly. You know the amount of electricity and gas you are saving and are aware of the Carbon emissions associated with each of these appliances then you need to applaud yourself as a sustainability champion.
- YOU ARE CLOTH CONSCIOUS
You love your clothes and are very possessive about them. So you take good care of them using eco-friendly laundry detergent, reuse them by redesigning and repurposing and you also prefer donating or selling them to share your beautiful outfits with others. Even though you want to save money and time but you also understand that shopping for preloved items also reduce your water footprint, carbon emissions and overall ecological footprint. You must give yourself a credit and record you marks.
- TRAVEL SUSTAINABLY
This is where you decide how you can save fuel. It is that easy. You intend to or have already bought an electric fuel or fuel-efficient vehicle. You have considered carpooling with your friends and family, might have used a bus to avoid taking your own car as you know most of the buses use renewable energy these days. You may also have a rechargeable electric scooter that works best for you but also avoid unnecessary carbon emissions and pollutions. You also prefer using a bicycle over all these because you prefer not to use any form of energy. Last but not the least, you avoid unnecessary travel and love to walk! You must be wondering how well you are doing. Add the point to your total score.
- YOU ARE SMART
Above all you are a conscious human being, a citizen and a person who loves nature in all its forms. You are passionate about sustainable consumption practices and are always willing to do more for this planet. You have always been smart in your choices and make sure that people around you also follow your footpath. Cheers to you for your choices. That’s one more mark for you.
You never knew you could be doing so great and are already a champion. Good news is there’s no perfect scorecard in sustainability. Even if you haven’t done any of it at all, you must now be able to try and add to your ‘things-to-do’ list and ready to become a ‘sustainability champion’.
Share your scorecards below and comment on what else makes you a sustainability champion!
Dure Durrani- Environment Team Student Ambassador