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 Still half-heartedly recycling? Reluctant to give up your toxic candlelit evenings and other comfy conveniences? It’s time.
We can't ignore it any longer, we need to save our planet. Even the
most cynical non-believers in the
global warming debate must surely now
concede, as ignoring the weight of evidence
is just irresponsible.
Still dubious? Well, whatever your reasons
reasons that spell out why
you should go green immediately—
but there are also
Turning off the lights, unplugging
phone chargers when
using energy-saver light
bulbs, and switching off
the TV half an hour earlier
all ensure that less of your
hard-earned cash leaves
your pockets. By using
energy more wisely, you can
help reduce global warming.
Not ironing, for ‘environmental reasons’, is
a fantastic rationale for joining the crusade.
environmental diehards, has implemented a
casual dress code. Translation: No more
starched clothes to prepare for the
morning. Wrinkle-free clothes are also a
thing of the past as they’re not only made
from unsafe chemicals, but they they’re also
more expensive. So now, to adhere strictly
wrinkled clothes to work—guilt-free.
Refusing to buy more and more ‘stuff’, particularly
for demanding children, feels a little
easier when we can truthfully say that we’re
helping them to preserve their environment.
Who now feels comfortable with the
casual disposal of old toys, gadgets, and
impulse-bought shoes and other things that
become redundant almost as soon as they enter your home? It’s estimated that, each
year, students around the world consume
so much paper that it causes forests to be
destroyed. So, when our kids started the
new school term, my husband and I asked
them to simply reuse notebooks with empty
pages. They salvaged their old notebooks
by ripping off the unused pages, punching
them with a three-hole punch, and placing
them in a folder. We also made sure that all
their glue, crayons, and scissors from the
bought new ones.
My husband has also started to
unplug electronics and appliances,
and I’m trying to remember to
switch off the lights when I leave
a room. The candles and soaps
we now use are all-natural, our car
journeys are less frequent, and we
avoid plastic-packaged products like
the plague.
But, just when you think you have things
spin! The last time I used a public restroom,
two options presented themselves. I could
either (1) put on the hand dryer which would
release fumes (now known to be toxic) into
the atmosphere, or (2) wipe my hands on
the recycled paper towels— but, no doubt,
some chemical or the other must’ve been
used in the recycling process. And then,
what about the vehicle that transported
it would’ve also left behind some unsavory
emissions. What to do?
I just wiped my hands on my jeans and left.
Perhaps, it’s best to live life as traditionally
modern conveniences. But, that’s a choice
we make when we decide to go green.
- Amanda Best
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