Need to adopt sustainable practices, normalise them
The Swachh Sarvekshan 2020 is currently on. It assesses the cleanliness standards of various cities. While there is a visible buzz in Gurugram with cleanliness and awareness drives at key markets and city events, I hope the fervour does not die down after the survey is over. Recently, I was at an awareness drive where I asked young participants a simple “waste quiz”. One of my questions was what do the 3Rs mean, and while the answer came back in a jiffy, I feel we as individuals can still do a lot to adopt the “reduce-reuse-recycle” mantra in our daily lives.
Allow me to remind you of a word called “kifayat” that is commonly used in our parlance. It means to have a simple, moderate “mindful” lifestyle with no extravagance or frugality. Perhaps, there is no matching word for it in the English dictionary. “Prudent” is close, but does not fully describe it. Indians have been known to be “kifayati” people. This quality has helped us to not only save our pockets and keep away from mental stress, but also the pressure on the environment. Remember how in our childhood our mothers reinvented another use of an item before relegating it to the waste basket. And, we were so happy when passed down with clothes and books from our cousins and friends.
Somewhere down the line, smart advertising and rising affordability has compelled us to become over-the-top consumers. The “new” allures us — new models, new versions, and a lesser new thing is now outdated. Let’s admit it, flaunting new acquisitions gives us an ego boost. Moreover, thanks to social media, there is an unsaid pressure of not repeating dresses at social events that forces us to load our wardrobes unnecessarily.
What’s more, the mega sales are “cheeky” enough to make us buy more than what we need. We buy three bottles of ketch-up just to get the fourth one free. I have always noticed that I somehow spend more time and money when I shop for my monthly supplies at big stores in malls, vis-à-vis when I buy from a local kirana shop. As a result, wastages are common. We no longer feel the guilt in single use and throw. And, our landfills continue to pile up.
Sadly, it suits all and nobody complains. More buying fuels the economy and makes the government and the manufacturing, packaging and retail companies happy. What it does hurt most is the environment. Wasteful consumption leads to wasteful production that plunders natural resources. What we must not forget is that while we have a limitless right to our money, we do not have a limitless right to our natural resources. The planet’s natural wealth — forest, water, and air — cannot be taken for granted any more. Besides, social inequities are increasing. Someone has dozens of sweaters to choose from and another has not even one to save himself/herself from the harsh winters.
For all these reasons, it’s high time we became “mindful” consumers. We can reduce our electricity usage through use of efficient appliances and lighting systems, solar energy and optimally using daylight. We can save water by opting for bucket bath instead of shower bath, recycling grey water, reusing RO water and installing rainwater harvesting systems at our homes. We can send less waste to the landfills by using our kitchen waste to make compost for our plants and gardens. We can save fuel by car pooling, walking, cycling and using public transport.
Most plastic materials are single-use; plastic used in packaging, cutlery, water bottles, straws can be easily avoided. Carrying our own cloth bag for shopping and a metal water bottle when moving out of home is a small habit change that does not hurt much. And, we can start making sharing “cool” again.
I do see some positive changes around. A friend recently announced at her birthday party that she will not buy anything for herself for a year. Another friend is quitting online shopping completely as she finds it needlessly impulsive. Some youngsters I know have reduced or stopped ordering food online as it comes with heavy packaging. Parents feel happy to announce that their child birthday party is a “green” party where no plastic cutlery or plastic decoration has been used. A few satsang groups in the city have started borrowing utensils from the city’s crockery bank. People have started saying “no” to gifts and instead urging their invitees to donate for causes and charities they espouse. Having a kitchen garden and growing vegetables at home has become fashionable.
So friends, knowing about 3Rs is good; but what we need is to put it in practice. It may be too much of a stretch to adopt all sustainable practices in one go. Let’s start by being “mindful” and adopting one practice at a time. And let’s flaunt minimalism and make it infectious, even fashionable. After all, we need to inspire others to grow the minimalistic tribe till it becomes a mass movement.
@ShubhraGF
(Shubhra Puri is the founder of Gurgaon First, a citizen initiative to promote sustainability in Gurugram through workshops and research books.)