Going green is the new mantra as humanity faces the most serious challenge to its continued existence. What can we, as women, do to save our environment?
In primitive times, women were the first environmentalists. Observing the growth processes of nature, they harnessed this knowledge for agricultural practice. Since survival was precarious, natural resources were carefully managed. Waste was not an option. Now more than ever, it is time to remember those women of yesteryear, feel their respect and love for the land and translate that feeling into action.
catch ’em young
Young children are the most receptive to ideas; Teach them early to think green:
· Have your little one turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth and turn it on just to rinse their mouth.
A cup and bucket full of water is all you need for a bath. When your child learns to lather and wash himself, not only will he have saved several liters of water, but he will also have increased his self-esteem.
School craft project? A cardboard kitchen towel holder becomes a kaleidoscope; an aluminum can becomes a colorful crayon holder. A paper soap box is transformed into a camera, an orphaned sock into a hand puppet. Decorated cardboard strips make beautiful picture frames. Ignite her child’s creativity, while instilling in her the lifelong habit of reusing materials.
green kitchen
Adopting green practices in the kitchen will help save both the environment and your health.
Why not bake cakes and cookies at home or try making jams? Also, get a juicer and make fresh fruit juice. When you buy these products in stores, you also collect a lot of disposable packaging. In addition, the products are also loaded with chemicals and preservatives, say no to them.
Buy organic food products. Is there a local farmers market? Support them in their company. Organic is more expensive, we know. But saving the earth will be cheaper in the long run!
· Large-scale agriculture to feed animals is a wasteful and energy-consuming undertaking. Ditch the corned beef and go vegan with a vengeance. Experiment with new cuisines; surprise your family and friends with your new experience and spread the word.
Your kitchen cabinet can double as an occasional medicine cabinet and cosmetic counter. Ginger-infused tea soothes a sore throat; Boiled cumin seed water helps indigestion. Chickpea flour is a chemical-free facial scrub, while mashed oats, papaya, yogurt and honey is an instant skin softener. The result: great skin, no junk!
Energy and Water
· Do an ‘energy audit’ of your home and implement fuel and energy saving measures. In addition to going for the big energy savers like CFLs or solar panels, the simplest actions (turning off lights and not leaving devices on standby) can save huge amounts of energy. Also, maximize the use of dishwashers and clothes washers by ensuring a full load.
· Is your home leak proof? Use low-flow toilet cisterns – a brick in the cistern will save even more water. Use water conservatively even when staying at a hotel.
green garden
· Using mulch around plants helps them retain moisture effectively.
· Watering plants early in the morning or late at night minimizes evaporation.
· Create a vermicomposting pit. The wet litter is disposed of and your plants get free Grade A organic fertilizer.
Congratulations to these ladies who have done their part
Over the years, women around the world have contributed enormously to the growth of environmental awareness and the urgent need to address those issues that threaten to destroy life on earth.
Rachel Carson, scientist and writer, wrote Silent Spring, the book that woke the world up about the terrible impact of pesticides on the environment. Every year, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, thanks to her seminal work.
Wangari Maathai’s battle against deforestation in Kenya and her efforts to organize poor village women in reforestation, combating soil erosion and water pollution for sustainable livelihoods, earned her the Nobel Prize for peace in 2004.
There are others, unknown and illiterate women, who have fought against the degradation of their environment by powerful governments and corporations. The women of Minamata, Japan, who battled mercury poisoning in their fishing village. The poor women in the village of Uttaranchal, India, who hugged trees to stop contractors from cutting down their forests, asserting their primary right to use forest products sustainably…the list goes on.
Most of us are not activists. But we can all contribute in our own way. Whether it’s arranging carpools, choosing to walk, bike or use public transportation and remembering to bring a cloth shopping bag to the grocery store, there is no area in our lives where we can’t think green. You can start small, but remember, every little effort gives the earth a chance to heal.