Do you know that each one of us can make a difference when it comes to keeping the city and the surroundings clean and beautiful? It is only a few simple steps taken at the ground level that can not only reduce the waste generated but also put it to constructive use. Wondering how? Let us try to learn what “Waste Hierarchy” is. It is the order of actions to be taken based on the priority to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to further improve the overall waste management processes. The 3 R’s-Reduce, Reuse and Recycle constitute the waste hierarchy.
Reducing your consumption by filtering out items you don’t necessarily need to buy, then reusing the items you possess more than once and disposing those that are no longer in use at appropriate recycling centers, are the easy ways to contribute towards a cleaner and healthier planet.
The concept of the first R is quite simple. If we are successful at reducing the waste generated, the one to be processed and recycled will be less. All you need to do is recognize your wants and needs. Buy what you need and avoid what you simply want. It will reduce your consumption considerably as most of the things we buy are not what we actually need but what we think we might need. The best place where you can start practicing this is at home. You can cut down on the use of paper and over-packaged items and strictly say no to disposable plates, cups etc that leads to a large amount of waste generated.
Reusing can be the easiest and the most interesting step of all. Most of the items we use can we reused over and over again. A common example is that of jars containing food items. One the food item is finished, the jar can be reused to keep safely certain things such as wires, pins and other loose items. Old newspapers can be used to cover the shelves and for cleaning purposes. Old clothes, toys, books, electrical equipment can be donated to those in need.
The third R needs to be handled intelligently. There are few things that cannot be recycled and many others that can be transformed to a new raw material and turned into a new item again. It is important to segregate what can be recycled and what not and then proceed further. There are special recycling plants for the process and this is the area that needs to be worked on. India needs to come up with new recycling ideas and equipment so that the process is carried out efficiently generating appreciable results. While shopping, try looking for products that are made from recycled material and promote environment friendly consumption.
Apart from adding these easy but extremely beneficial changes in your daily life, motivate others to do the same. If we work for it together, we can bring about a massive change in the environment and help to keep it clean and beautiful. Join the SwachhAbility Movement to spread awareness so that the message of Swachhta reaches out far and wide.
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