Going Green .... My way :)

Hi , And don't be surprised if anyone of you catch me riding a bicycle lately .... No I am not broke !! and No I have not lost my job .. not yet !! :) but yes, thats one of the ways I am making an effort to go green. I have been closely following tips given by National Geographic on ways to go green and have tailored those methods to suit my lifestyle.

I think there is a need for all of us to adopt some energy saving methods in our daily life. Every body around me seems to be aware of global warming and they talk about the horrifying effects it brings upon us but when I ask what they are doing about it ... well they stay mum or change the topic or shrug their shoulders like its somebody else's business to undo this climate change :) , And now with all the head of states all over the world holding high level meetings to tackle this growing and serious environmental issue I feel its time we took an initiative to care for our mother earth in our own simple ways.

here I am presenting a few changes that I have made to go green and the pros and cons of the methods I have adopted:

1) Resource : fresh water.

Objective :To minimize usage of fresh water or to restrict wastage of fresh water.

Ideal method : use less water for bathing.

BEFORE :- I used in excess of 100 Liters for bathing( 4 buckets)

AFTER :- I use no more than one bucket of water for bathing ( ~ 25 Liters).

Pros - Precious water saved.

Cons - My mum's worried that I haven't been cleaning myself sufficiently and that I might catch fungus :P. Well not to worry I have found that one bucket is sufficient for a thorough cleaning every day.

2) Resource : electricity - using less electric power indirectly reduces the amount of resources used to produce it and also the amount of carbon pumped into the atmosphere.

Objective : use minimal electricity.

Ideal method : use energy efficient appliances, mainly :bulbs used for lighting purpose.

BEFORE: I never cared about the the usage of power.

AFTER : I use the lights only when absolutely necessary , use natural light when ever possible , replaced all the incandescent bulbs with philips tiny white tubes. My laptop is highly energy efficient hence I am not guilty about keeping my macbook powered on 24/7.

Pros - Considerable reduction in electric bills ( my dad was surprised and happy)

Cons - Your friends and siblings might call you names for being stingy about a stupid light.

3) Resource: Petroleum - A very important resource as its depleting and more importantly its the no.1 contributor for increase in carbon in the atmosphere.

Objective: to adopt alternative and greener ways to travel.

Ideal method : avoid using bike / car whenever possible.

BEFORE: Never really cared about this either.

AFTER: I always use my bicycle to get around short distances ( that is if my journey amounts to less than 10 Km). I Have been consistent and determined about this . (Venky if u reading this, do post a remark supporting my claim :P ) . Regular car pooling is another easy way you can save yourself some money and reduce your carbon foot print in the process.

Pros: You can save a lot on fuel spendings every month while being environmental friendly And you can stay healthy and fit as cycling is a great cardiovascular exercise.

Cons : While Im cycling ..I miss those looks that I usually get from girls if I was riding on my Bullet instead :)

These are a few but very efficient ways to reduce ones carbon footprint as we all indulge ourselves everyday in at least one of the acts mentioned above. I recently saw an advertisement showing how the release of animal / human gases - (human and animal fart) can hurt the environment , well that it hilariously impractical to avoid it but those days are not far away when a communist country like China would impose a rule against farting . I feel proud and happy to be an Indian when I think of it :D hehehe....

Guys, I have waited 3 months to post this as I wanted to make sure the methods I employ were practical and indeed adoptable by an average person like me.

Do suggest any other methods that you find easier and practical to follow.

Thanks for reading ... Good day.