April 22^nd is Earth Day. The Day when environment hogs the limelight, the day where all the right forums express the correct environmental concerns. When the vox populi through various media expresses its anguish over the ozone layer, the dwindling rivers, rising sea lines, carbon dioxide, toxic wastes, environmental changes, melting arctics and Himalayas, rising hometown temperature, acid rains. School students make posters and learn how far the and how fast the Mother Earth is headed towards self-destruction.

This building up of the concern was the main reason Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day. To get the people and politician involved and more proactive in conserving the planet. However we laymen cannot really shape the oil policies or halt the erosion of the ozone layers or the Arctic caps other than by expressing concern.  What we can do, what we need to do and what we should teach our children to do are still a lot.

Here’s a small list starting at the beginning of the day.

Keep the tap shut while brushing teeth.

Walk, cycle or use public transport to work or school

Plant vegetation around the house – it provides oxygen, clean air as well as makes the house cooler.

Carry out a planned energy saving exercise at home – like Earth Hour but on a daily basis

Avoid polythene bags and use paper bags as far as possible

Reuse plastic bottles, containers

Recycle water

Use “natural” personal care products like moisturizers, deodorants, lotions, shampoo, etc. Natural means plant based (not petroleum based) or home made products.

Reduce, reuse, reinvent and recycle should be a daily mantra.

There are many more things we can do at our level. Green guides and green products are plentily available now, both online and at stores. National Geography has a very comprehensive Green guide. Check out this link for National Geographic green guide and green products.

In developing countries, at least in India, reuse and recycle happens as a way of life. Very little gets wasted. Whether this recycling is done hygienically using the correct technology is however a matter of concern. Developed countries face a different problem. Recycle and reuse, though “correct” words are not really applied in daily life. I mean I can’t see newspaper, plastics being collected systematically from house to house to be reused! In fact people need to be paid to remove old stuff and scraps!

A watercolor as my tribute to Earth Day