World Environment Day: 5 Resolutions to Make Your Home Greener

Here are five tips from Sushil Motwani (Founder of Aytexcel Pvt. Ltd and the official India representative of Formovie) to make your home greener and healthier:

Did you know that large screen TVs, when discarded improperly, can harm the environment due to hazardous materials like mercury? Older models have toxic substances like lead that can contaminate soil and water and put ecosystems at risk. Not all components of TVs can be recycled easily either and one way to proactively manage e-waste is to invest in greener, eco-sensitive devices and to responsibly dispose and recycle old electronics. New age projectors, especially those using LED or laser light sources, offer more green benefits in comparison. For instance, projectors from Formovie—like the Cinema Edge, Theatre Premium, Xming Episode One, and Page One— boast lower energy consumption and are better for eye health as they minimise blue light exposure. Modern projectors often use eco-friendly materials as well as green manufacturing processes, reducing carbon footprint substantially. They also generate less heat and require minimal maintenance.

Energy-efficient lighting and appliances can reduce not only energy bills but also minimise carbon footprint. LED bulbs and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) consume less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer. Electrical appliances with BEE Star Label indicate energy efficiency standards. Choose dishwashers and washing machines that use lesser quantities of water. It is also important that we unplug devices when they are not in use. Solar photovoltaic panels are a practical choice too as they can cater to different energy needs in our homes.

Over three years ago, India imposed a nationwide ban on single-use plastics (SUP) but is still the world’s fifth-largest generator of plastic waste, producing approximately 3.5 million tonnes every year. A large number of people continue to rely on plastic bags to carry groceries. The only way to prevent straws, disposable cutlery, water bottles and multilayered packaging from ending up in landfills, rivers and oceans, is to refuse single-use plastics. Plastics have a far reaching impact on the environment and have infiltrated even our food chain. By carrying our own shopping bags, cutlery, steel bottles and coffee mugs on the go, we can cut down on the amount of plastic we personally generate on a daily basis.

Water is a finite resource so let us be smart with water usage and consumption. And because every drop of water is precious, we must fix leaking taps, use water-efficient faucets as well as showerheads. We could also explore rainwater harvesting methods and reuse water from rinsing vegetables etc to drench our plants. Any water that has been used at home (except water from toilets), can be reused in the garden. It is also wise to water your lawn only when needed with a deep-soak. This entails watering the lawn long enough for water to reach the roots where it is most needed. Watering the plants during the cooler parts of the day is better as the moisture will not evaporate in the heat.

The simple tenets of 'Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle' can transform our resource consumption patterns and the way we generate waste. We can consciously choose to reduce our consumption of fast fashion, minimise online shopping and buy only essential things with less packaging. We can reuse old objects by tweaking their usage. Ideas like recycling denim to make tote bags, using vintage fabrics to make clothing or wall panels, repairing electronics rather than throwing them, upcycling furniture, turning bottles into lamps are gaining traction today and for good reason. Finding new ways to use old things that would otherwise be discarded, is good for the environment. Recycling waste materials creatively is the need of the hour and can reduce the impact of human activities on the environment.