When the needs of the present are met without compromising the capacity of future generations to meet their requirements, there is sustainable development. Closely related with each other and significant predictors of sustainability are social, economic and environmental development. We need to become more aware and be more active in our life, rather than living passively to protect the environment for future generations. Understanding what we are utilizing and why we are utilizing it is a great way to begin. The way forward is to promote a conscious lifestyle by which we can protect the environment. One of the most powerful ways to attract attention to social problems is celebrity endorsement. There are numerous celebrity activists who stand up for the environment and who have raised awareness about the environment, global issues and climatic change. They not only try to reduce their own carbon footprint but are also involved in many eco-friendly campaigns. Many celebrities are successful in motivating people to care for the planet. A celebrity who observes sustainable practices can be a role model and set an example for others. Be it making compost for the garden, recycling clothes, speaking of energy-saving, promoting organic produce and so on - celebrities can make an impactful difference by endorsing sustainability and the joy associated with it. People may not immediately follow the whole idea of sustainability, but can start practising it in their own small way to do their bit for the environment. What makes you a sustainability celebrity? A good start is to make UR house eco-friendly with solar panels and appliances that conserve energy. You can also go a bit further and include plants that can absorb carbon dioxide. Mentioned below are some more ways to help protect our environment. Adopt vegetarianism and veganism and post your meals on social media. Campaign for animal rights, promote a lifestyle that helps to protect animals, reduce waste, and avoid plastic. Raise awareness about single-use plastics and launch campaigns to cleanse our beaches and oceans from plastics. Use natural and organic ingredients and use products that are vegan and a healthier substitute to other skincare products available. Not only will these products be kind to your skin, but to the environment as well – due to the lack of herbicides or pesticides used. Draw on your status to stand up for indigenous communities, the underprivileged and for those affected by the effects of climatic change. You can offer donations to various environmental organizations and speak about the condition of our planet. Adopt and promote sustainable fashion brands. Inspire people to reduce their carbon footprint by advocating sustainable brands. Show your dedication to the environment by inspiring people to wear clothes made from reusable and recycled materials. Use your popularity to create awareness and provide financial backing to some companies working to save our planet. You can even think about launching eco-friendly and sustainable establishments to ensure future generations will get a thriving and flourishing environment. Sustainable Home Practices • Conserve energy: Our simple product choices like compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or LEDs over incandescent bulbs conserve about 70% of the energy. Overuse of any renewable energy is the predominant cause of climate changes. Natural disasters in recent years have occurred due to climate changes. So conserving energy by using products and appliances that are energy-efficient has a positive impact on the environment. • Reduce the usage of one-time-use materials: Most of these products are plastic and are harmful to us and the environment too. Disposable products go to the landfills and if not appropriately monitored, these release toxic gases into the atmosphere. By avoiding the use of such products, we reduce landfills and effectively recycle the existing trash. • Recycle things: Instead of disposing of unnecessary things, find a way to recycle them. Try some DIY ideas to give them a new twist! If throwing them away is UR only choice, make sure you are disposing of them in the right way that doesn't end in increasing the landfills which cause water and air pollution. When we reduce waste, we help to conserve our resources. • Buy fairtrade products: In a fairtrade, producers offer a better deal and improved terms of trade. It allows them the opportunity to locally sustain by improving their lives and invest in their future, their environment and their communities. Fairtrade offers consumers a way to ensure environmental sustainability through their buying decisions. When a product carries the Fairtrade Mark, it means it upholds the fairtrade standards. These standards provide balance in trading relationships, stable markets and curb the injustices of conventional trade. Workers also get a stable income and working conditions are improved. Sustainable Office Practices Many offices might not have the funds to install solar panels for clean and sustainable energy. This doesn't mean you cannot help the environment at all. Here are some small things you can do at UR office to encourage and promote sustainability. • Travel co-dependently: Using a car or bike independently to commute increases carbon emission. So it’s best to carpool with your colleagues. Lesser carbon emission transforms in reducing impacts of climate change. You can also make a healthy choice of choosing cycling as your mode of transport. • Maintain digital files and use recycled paper: Whenever and wherever possible, try to avoid using paper. Promote afforestation or at least do not indirectly participate in deforestation by using virgin paper. In this digital age, there are various effective means to store files and prepare presentations that are not on paper. If there is an absolute necessity to use paper, opt for recycled paper. This simple step will help preserve forests, conserve resources and also contribute towards generating less pollution which is required for manufacturing. • Follow the 3Rs: Reduce, reuse and recycle products like printers, papers, stationery and so on, at every chance you get. This is not only cost-effective but also helps in reducing landfills. It decreases the toxin emission into the atmosphere effectively and efficiently. Following the 3Rs also results in innovative ideas that work in favour of sustainability. • Go green: Encourage employees to place indoor plants on their desk. Let it be a gift from the organization or a personal choice. Indoor plants like succulents, Swiss-cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa), Devil's Ivy (Epipremnum aureum), Mass Cane (Dracaena Massangeana), Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) are fantastic for absorbing pollutants in the air. They also provide a refreshing sight and fresh oxygen. • Choose biodegradable products: While choosing office supplies, pick biodegradable products to help reduce pollution. These products will not harm you and make UR office space safe. Biodegradable materials don’t take years to break down but rather break down quickly and don’t leave back anything harmful. Be a lover for sustainability – help conserve nature by making environmentally-friendly choices because every initiative and action can make a massive difference to our environment and help save our planet.

Farida Tampal 6 min read May 23, 2020