10 everyday changes we can make to save the environment

2. Build a Garden at Home

"Managing a home garden has tons of benefits, it lets you to compost your waste and build a green space around you. In case of an apartment, you can still have a vertical garden in your balcony or near a window," says Aakash. Home gardens allow us to decide what goes into the food we eat. We can easily minus the harmful chemicals that pollute our environment, which is generally used for farming. Plus, it makes your home look green and peaceful too. Most people even opt for hydroponics, a new and easy way to be an urban farmer. Read our guide to Hydroponics here.

4. Be a Smart Shopper

"I think the most important thing one can do is to limit their consumption and focus on reusing, repurposing and repairing," says Shruti Jain, founder of an ethical fashion blog called Style Destino. She has devised a 3-step method called ACE, to help people kick start their sustainable shopping journey. "A stands for 'Avoid'. If the brand doesn't incorporate ethical practices or the product is made of polluting elements, I completely steer away from it," says Shruti. "C stands for Consider. Whenever I choose to buy, it's from those who use eco-friendly methods and materials. Supporting artisans, designers and brands that are centered on bringing holistic change to the industry is the way to go," she says. However, constantly buying certain things like clothes or accessories isn’t the best way forward, which is why she suggests the third step, "E stands for Embrace. Using what you already have, borrowing from friends and family, renting, or shopping second-hand are the ideal choices," explains Shruti.

Carrying your own cloth bags and steel jars while shopping for groceries instead of plastic bags and packets that are handed to us is a small step towards reducing plastic waste. Even while shopping online for essentials, look for brands that don't use unnecessary packaging material. 

6. Try Going Package Free

"Switching to home-made products is a cost-effective and eco-friendly option," says Shweta Mukherjee, a Goa based photographer popularly known as Mommygrapher on Instagram. "In an effort to make our homes cleaner we often forget that the world is also our home. So, I make my own bio enzyme for cleaning instead of buying harmful cleaning liquids that bring more plastic with them," says she. She also advises to switch to zero waste shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars instead of the ones that come in plastic packaging.

7. Conserve Energy

Investing in energy efficient appliances is a smart choice, especially in a world that runs on electricity. Also, use them only when necessary. For e.g., clothes and dishes can be air dried instead of using a dryer. Air conditioners and geysers can be used only when necessary. Remember to unplug any devices that are not being used. This is because even if when they are powered down, they continue to suck energy. Some people also opt for solar panels as an efficient way to power their homes.

8. Reduce Your Meat and Dairy Intake

Red meat needs approximately 9,000 liters of water to produce just 3 kg of meat. Poultry too takes a considerable amount of water for the same. The cows from the dairy industry and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions that are extremely harmful for the environment. Considering the high demand, the number of resources put into this industry is untraceable. Simply reducing this intake will make a huge difference.

9. Replace Plastic

A lot of plastic products can be replaced, for e.g., disposable straws, toothbrush, bottles, and cutlery can easily be replaced with steel or bamboo ones. These can be carried around easily even when you are travelling to avoid purchasing more plastic. Even when you visit a local savoury snack vendor, you can carry a steel box to package or enjoy the food, instead of the single use plastic plate given to you at the stall. A point to note though is to use and reuse the plastic products that you already own instead of throwing them away.