Climate change is becoming a grave issue with each passing year. Ever since it was begun in 1972 by the UN, World Environment Day is celebrated the world over on 5th June every year where countries pledge to take more initiatives towards cleaning up the planet.
As the saying goes, change begins at home. On Environment Day this year, we explore what changes you, as a homeowner, can incorporate into your lifestyle to make your home a healthier, happier place to be. Have you already set up rainwater harvesting, consciously started switching off lights, and installed solar panels? We give you a few more ideas that you can practise to enhance your lifestyle further.
Letting the outdoors in
Who said you need to have space to include some greenery in your life? Adding some house plants, a flower pot or two, or even some small herb pots on the window sill can make a world of difference in your home. If you have a small balcony, then you could line the railing with hanging plants and add a few pots along the corners as well.
The benefits of including plants of any size or shape are not limited to merely beautifying your home and providing you with fresh herbs or vegetables. People who are surrounded by plants are reportedly happier and contribute to a sense of wellbeing, making you feel less stressed and more balanced.
Plants also mop up the carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the air cleaning it with fresh oxygen. Don’t take our word for it. A 2017 study by the University of Melbourne and RMIT University found that adding even one plant to an average sized room can improve air quality by 25%. Reason enough, right?
Making waste fruitful
One of the biggest problems we face today is that of waste. Landfills overflowing with garbage and trash clogging our lakes and rivers are a sad but common sight now. One of the easiest things you can do is to put wet waste to good use by following composting methods.
Don’t be disheartened if you live in an apartment. Composting can be done in any space, big or small. All you need is an appropriate container which you can install in your balcony or terrace. If you have space outdoors, it is more efficient when the waste interacts with sunlight and air to gain moisture. However, it will work just as well in your kitchen too if you are strapped for space.
Worried about bad odours? Today’s sophisticated range of composting containers ensures that smells remain trapped and prevent an infestation from maggots or worms. In a few weeks, you will have fresh, nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants or garden, which you can even gift to friends who have green spaces and see their faces break out in smiles!
The benefits of composting are not just about gaining rich fertilizer for growing healthier plants. The quality of the manure is a moot point in determining the quality of water in the surrounding areas.
Superior fertilizer prevents water wastage by holding more moisture onto the soil and reduces the need for other additives or products required to enrich the soil. It provides natural resources for healthy plant growth by releasing good microbes, balancing the pH or alkalinity, and preventing soil erosion. And these are just a few of the reasons!
Attract winged beauties
Have you noticed how you hear a multitude of bird calls when you are in the countryside but hardly hear a peep when you are back in your apartment in the city?
It’s not difficult to get birds to visit you in an urban setting. All you need to do is create the right environment for it. Even if you are in an apartment, you will still have space for a bird feeder. Complement it with a variety of plants, by putting out a dish of water, and a bowl of seeds and you can attract the local birds in your area.
The benefits of listening to the sweet trilling of birds in the morning are not just pleasant but also beneficial in providing stress relief. Bird calls automatically relax the mind supported by working with plants. Besides, birds are natural pollinators and help in the growth of plants; they are great at pest control, eliminating the need for pesticides, which might be exactly what your garden or balcony needs!
Reducing plastic usage
Plastic has increasingly become not just a health hazard but also a threat to the lives of animals. It’s now alarmingly common to see headlines announcing the death of seals, sharks, deer and other animals due to the consumption of plastic. Apart from that, plastic products like water bottles and food containers release chemicals into their contents upon heating or over a period of time.
The benefits of eliminating plastic are many, including the considerable reduction of waste, land and water pollution, and chemicals that we ingest.
It is heartening that most of us already follow the practice of using recycled paper bags or cloth bags for shopping. But with a little more effort from our side, it is possible to live an almost plastic-free life. Try not to take plastic wrapped items like fruits and vegetables while shopping for groceries. Buy a smart-looking, reusable metal water bottles for daily use. Line dustbins with newspapers or biodegradable liners. Steps like these and more go a long way in making a healthier home as well as the planet.
