A place’s climate is defined by the average atmospheric and seasonal patterns studied over an average of 30 years. A long-term shift in the climate of the region, including temperature, rainfall, and seasonal patterns is known as Climate Change.
It is generally referred to as the overuse of fossil fuels leading to extensive emissions of greenhouse gases that fill the layers of the atmosphere with particulate matters trapping the sunlight on the planet, thus, leading to global warming. The warming of the planet disrupts the natural oceanic cycle, further altering the winds and humidity leading to hurricanes, storms, drought, etc.
Over time, industries and transport sectors have been blamed for the exploitation of natural resources for manufacturing thousands of products and using millions of tons of fuel for transportation services. However, the onus of saving climate also falls on the consumer side. The supply is heavily influenced by the demand, and with the demand for each product, millions of resources are invested for its production.
As consumers, we often do not care to see what happens with the products once we are done using them. In our day to day lives, they go in the trash, but after the waste pickers collect them, we do not know what goes into recycling and what goes into landfills. Now, burning waste or improperly disposing of waste adds various toxic gases to the environment which aren’t only unhealthy for nature but harmful to humans as well. But that’s not it, which each product or service that we demand, we are adding to the climate change since we are demanding the use of fossil fuels in terms of energy required for the production, processing and delivery.
The concept of ‘Reuse’ is not only to limit the waste we are generating but also to reduce the burden on the planet for manufacturing it. Therefore, it is essential that before we make a purchasing decision, we understand its utility, durability and impact on the environment. This is where waste management plays an important role. Waste management is not only concerned with the management of existing waste but also reduce what becomes waste.
Climate is not only affected by the emissions in the air but by the pollutants in the soil and water as well. Studies have revealed that the plastic debris on oceans has led to warming up of the surface while depriving marine life at greater depths of light and heat. Therefore, it is necessary to manage our consumption to reduce the resources that go in and the waste that comes out and depletes the planet.
While major technological and policy innovations are taking place to combat the problem at a larger level, but on an individual level, we can save the climate through three simple steps:
1. Mindful purchasing:
- Buy goods and services that are of utmost requirements
- Buy in bulk than buying the same material in small and different packaging
- Buy products that are durable and have longevity
- Check for the supply chain if the product you are buying is sustainable or not
- Weigh your purchasing options wisely – product quality, delivery distance, durability, recyclability, etc.
- Avoid single-use plastic in all ways possible.
2. Using the product to the best of its utility
- Reuse the product whenever and however possible and make sure it reduces the purchases you will make next
- Handle the goods with care so that they lost longer
- Share the products that are no longer needed by you but are in a good state and can be used (except medicines)
- Purchase second-hand products when possible—they are affordable and lessen the burden of production and delivery.
3. Dispose waste responsibly
- Not everything discarded is a waste—think before disposing
- Not everything can be disposed of together—practice waste segregation
- Electronic items are highly recyclable and shouldn’t be disposed of with the regular trash. Their degradation emits harmful gases. Moreover, they are more prone to fire and damage.
- Irresponsibly disposed of plastic adds to the burden of microplastic, which is known to pollute oceans and soil, thus, affecting the entire food chain.
It can be argued that recycling solves the problem of waste management by putting existing waste to use, but it has its own setbacks, the process of recycling requires energy. Most likely, the quality gets compromised when it is recycled once or twice.
Climate change is not an isolated issue that can be solved with area-specific measures. It is a broader challenge and requires complete participation of the citizens in combatting it. A few simple steps taken by each one of us is capable of changing the industrial practices, limiting exploitation of natural resources, reducing waste and bringing stability in the environment.
About the Author: Ishani Palandurkar is a consultant at Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group.