The protection of the planet is directly linked to the preservation of the environment and, in recent years, it has become one of the main concerns of humanity. In the framework of Earth dayone of the great challenges is to control the actions that increase the environmental footprint, and we can do it from our daily lives so that the planet improves its conditions and that life is sustainable over time.
Mercedes Gómez, academic director of the Environmental Engineering program at the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC), points out that the most common mistakes range from wasting water when bathing, using plastic bags when shopping, or even charging cell phones when they are not being used.
In this sense, the specialist has identified five aspects that we can take into account in our daily lives to reduce our environmental footprint and that can even help save money.
- Every drop counts. Measure your water consumption while you bathe or brush your teeth and try to close the pipes when you don’t need the water. Also, you should avoid washing cars with a hose, since a lot of water is lost. The best solution is to use a bucket and a cleaning cloth that can be wetted and wrung out.
- Plug in only when using an appliance. A mistake that we constantly make is to leave electrical appliances, such as the toaster, the fan or our cell phones, connected even when we are not using them and this contributes to unnecessary energy consumption. Likewise, it is essential to check the rooms of the house that are not being used to verify that the lights are turned off.
- Separate organic and recyclable waste. Follow the 3R rule: reduce, recycle and reuse. As part of our responsible consumption and recycling, it is necessary to opt for bottles made from recycled and less polluting materials instead of plastic and to use recyclable bags for shopping at home. In the same way, ecological and biodegradable products must be used that guarantee the reduction of emissions of harmful substances.
- Less use of cars. Cars that are not electric or run on natural gas produce higher C02 emissions and various pollutants that affect the environment. Therefore, its use must be reduced, taking into account the distance over which it is used and the number of people it transports. In short distances, it is better to use a bicycle or walk, and in other occasions, you can apply the method of “pool” within your family and friends to reduce the number of vehicles used per day.
- Improve eating habits. Eating well can also mean helping the planet. Reducing meat intake, and even being a vegetarian or vegan -always under medical supervision-, is a vital option whose reasons go far beyond health or weight loss, since the mere fact of reducing our meat consumption helps the reduction of the water footprint.
