My Vision of the world to be Green

My Vision of the world to be green a two- minutes, a short video movie contest changed my whole understanding of the how we live in the unpolluted and unclean surroundings. Again, we are good in polluting it from everyday. I am no exception to it. In a way, I am also responsible for polluting my surroundings. Well, The Energy and Research Institute-TERI-Tetra Pak Initiated a project called ‘Sensitization, Education, and Awareness of Recycling for a Cleaner Habitat- S.E.A.R.C.H’. They called for a contest on ‘My vision for the world to be green’- two minute film making contest made me go round my own city Hyderabad for the first time with an open eye to view how beautiful and green I my city. This again as a push by my mother who sent me to explore my own city of pride with her Handycam. My father took me around on his bike. It is still fresh in my memory that it was Ganesh festival time and on the side, there was a group to which my mother belonged creating awareness about ‘Eco-friendly clay Ganesha making and buying’ and on the other hand was shopkeepers and vendors selling plaster of Paris-POP Ganeshas.

Hussain Sagar Lake- Tank bund is the pride of Hyderabad continuously polluted by visitors an locals by simply throwing frootie paks, corn cobs, papers, tender coconuts, plastic bottles and whatnot. I also noticed two trash bins-biodegradable bin and one for plastics installed in the entire tank bund belt. However, I found bins being empty and clean. My one day visit made me think what best can be done by individual like me. I put my heart, soul and thought on my vision of the world to be green and made a two minute movie which was selected. I was invited to attend Tetra Pak plant visit in Chakan in Pune in January 16^th, 2014 ‘Recycling Tetra Pak’ along with my teacher co-ordinator. There were around 45 students selected like me from all over India and we were announced as Teri-Tetra Pak Ambassadors for the year 2013-14.

As an individual and more so as an Ambassador I am responsible to keep my surround clean and green. To start with, I started sharing my views with my friends and neighbourhood. I also generated awareness about simple ways to keep our surroundings clean and green in summer camps. Now, I would like to share the same with you all who can, take initiation and start a club and contribute to the clean and green surroundings.

There are many ways one can adopt and follow as a discipline to keep once surrounding clean and green. These are some of the handy tips one can follow.

The simple ways to our surroundings Clean and Green

1. Think before buying.

Question yourself, do you really need the product before buying it. Think about usage of the product-before and after. Question on make of the product- Eco-friendly, biodegradable. The question about how to dispose the product after buying.

2. Using the things than buying just for buying.

Try and think of reusing things you already have. One can use glass tumblers, or stainless steel tumblers already existing in homes for kids parties and get-together. This way, one can cut down on the accumulation of trash as we are good in dumping all together than segregating as, disposable waste, recycling waste and so on. Try to purchase things that you don’t have to dispose of after one use. Instead of buying paper plates, cups, and plastic silverware, invest in items that can be washed and reused. Instead of getting paper or plastic bags when you go shopping, buy reusable shopping bags or cloth bags that can be reused each time.

3. Borrow and share before you buy.

Borrow from, and share with, family, friends, neighbors or whoever, especially if it’s something that will only be used once or occasionally. This is the best way to work together and teaches us about group ethics too. Books, movies, DVDs, old clothes and so on

4. Repairing before replacing

If your shirt button falls off, or has a tear in it try sewing instead of buying a completely new shirt. It is better to use the existing clothes than simply buying for buying sake and keeping it in the wardrobe ideally. I request all the mothers not to buy sarees and saris and accumulate it in the cupboards.

5. Buy Eco-friendly items

Buy items that are made of non-toxic or recycled items. Buy items that will help to conserve water, energy, and other valuable resources. Try to avoid items with excess packaging (i.e. lots of plastic), especially those that can’t be reused or recycled. shop for “green,” Eco-friendly products, this will let companies know that you care about the environmental impact of products you buy, and maybe soon them and other companies will start making more Eco-friendly products

6. Safe Disposal

Most of the Eco friendly items are biodegradable and also recycled. One must not dump paper carton boxes like frooti paks, juice paks along with other dumps. Segregating and sending them to recycle collectors helps in conservation and helps in recycling.

7. Recycling items Collectors

In every city there are recycling items collectors, who on contacting would come and collect the items and also send them for recycling. Only thing that we have to do is contact them.

8. Installing Recycling bin in every apartments, residential colonies, canteens, schools and shopping malls.

Most of us buy juices in handy paks ad after consuming it throw on the road side. Instead, we drop them in the Recycling bin makes it easier for the he collectors.

I have started collecting the juice paks, frootie paks and so on and drop them in my school recycling bin. So, also my mother too. (Frootie paks arew the names commonly used in India. There are nothing but fruit juices available in smaller size pak in disposal tetra paks).

None of us are perfect, so together we can make a start and work towards ‘Our vision of the world to be Green’ by taking this small step.

Kinldy respond and also add up any other more effective measures and tips one can follow without much strain. I welcome for comments and other effective measures followed by individuals/ organisation across the globe.