World Ozone Day: Tips We Can Incorporate In Our Daily Routine To Protect The Environment
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There are many things we as ordinary civilians can incorporate into our routine to help reduce the impact of damaging gasses on the ozone layer. The world is celebrating World Ozone Day by possibly doing the best thing they could right now, staying indoors and social distancing. The Ozone layer is a layer present in the atmosphere that acts as a protective shield against harmful ultraviolet rays that could cause damage to the upper epidermises of not just mammals but plant and marine life as well. The theme for World Ozone Day 2020 is “Ozone for life: 35 years of ozone layer protection”. Let’s look at a few tips we can make use of to do our part and protect the ozone layer as much as we can (1):
1. Leave Your Car At Home
There are tonnes of options you can make use of instead of using your car. If you’re just one person and your office isn’t too far away, you can simply use public transport or enquire about carpooling instead. With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, it is safer to stay at home, take taxis/autos, or simply walk to the location instead of traveling there. You can still carpool with fellow colleagues if you’re interested since they’re likely to be safer to be around. If you do choose to make use of public transport, avoid crowded vehicles as much as possible and follow all the safety guidelines mentioned in your city.
2. Go Organic & Eco-Friendly
It’s important to purchase products that don’t have an impact on the environment as much. You should also choose products that are free of pesticides and come from sources that respect the environment. Although some of these products may come at a steep price, they are better for the environment and also more gentle on your skin. Switching to natural shampoos might actually help you with some common hair problems you may be suffering from. These types of shampoos don’t contain harmful chemicals and parabens that could cause damage to the natural texture of your hair.
3. Live A Plastic Free Life
Living a plastic-free life is important if you want to do your bit to save the environment. Whether that is switching to using a menstrual cup instead of using disposable sanitary products or simply not purchasing any plastic bags for your products, it’s important to make simple changes to your routine and follow a more eco-friendly life. You can switch to cloth or jute bags instead of plastic bags and that will cause a significant reduction in the number of plastic products you use.
4. Avoid Using Hairspray And Room Fresheners
You’re probably thinking, “Why are they asking me to stop using room freshener?” but hear us out. Room fresheners release Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Just like ACs, these too cause damage to the ozone layer and lead to air pollution (2). You’re better off sticking to potpourri, and an aromatherapy therapy kit if you want to improve the surrounding smell of your home. You could also make your own aromatherapy station and fill a large bowl of warm water with a few drops of special essential oils that would help the room smell good.
5. Recycle
One of the easiest ways to do your bit and save the planet is simply to recycle and make sure you separate the waste products and junk them in the right containers. You can start by segregating the waste and placing dry waste and wet waste separately. If you start incorporating these practices into a daily routine and start making changes from the get-go, that’d be the best.
6. Don’t Waste Food
Wasting food is a luxury that not many people in the world can afford. You may remember your mother guilt-tripping you into not wasting food during your childhood by telling you that there were starving children in Africa who didn’t have the luxury of food. But how about closer to home? We may not be haunted by images of hunger ridden children in Indian media but that does not mean that they don’t exist, right? Think thrice before wasting the food on your plate next time.
7. Try Reducing Your Meat Consumption
It’s important to reduce your consumption of meat. The amount of land and water required to raise livestock is a contributor to climate change whether we realize it or not. On top of that, cattle emit methane which contributes to the toxic gasses that can in turn destroy or harm the ozone layer. It is important to consume more plant-based products if you want to reduce your carbon footprint (3).
Above all, it is important to remember that each and everyone can make an impact on this planet and contribute in our own ways in any way that we can. We need to make sure we don’t create more waste than we should and try helping reduce the carbon impact by reducing our own carbon footprints. If we all work towards the goal of a better environment, someday we should be able to achieve it. Do you agree with the tips provided in this list? Let us know all your thoughts in the comment section below.
