The Earth Does Not Belong To Man, Man Belongs To The Earth.” Mankind needs to understand that they do not create or sustain Mother Earth, but Mother earth supports and sustains us. Earth is the only place we have got to live; therefore, we must live sustainably. Instead of dominating or exploiting the earth, we need to respect and cooperate with our fellow inhabitants (animals and plants).
It has taken centuries for humans to understand the need for preserving the environment and Mother Earth. With the increasing awareness of going eco-friendly in our ways and adopting a sustainable lifestyle, a positive shift has happened. In the last few years, people have embraced the concept of single-streaming recycling, 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and other environment-friendly concepts.
However, there is another approach that has given a new direction to the lifestyle we all live, and it is “Zero Waste.” Many Instagram influencers, nobel brands, and influential people are helping to make Zero Waste a movement and involve as many people as they can.
Zero Waste Lifestyle means reducing waste consumption as much as possible, almost to negligible ways. Designing life to avoid acquiring things that end up in the trash, contributes to environmental pollution, such as disposable and non-recyclable materials.
Active members of the Zero Waste Lifestyle movement have incredible stories to share on how we all can produce only one jar of actual “trash” a year by adopting a few lifestyle changes. In addition to households, many organizations, shopping stores are advocating the zero waste movement across the globe, and themselves are getting on board with plastic-free packaging, zero waste consumption, etc. Like for the Raksha Bandhan 2020, many online rakhi store are providing online rakhi delivery of plantable rakhis. Each rakhi comes with a card having plants seeds that can be grown into a beautiful plant.
Companies are promoting the demand for products and services that caters to zero-waste philosophy. Here are some of the examples:
- Reusable Packaging: We live in a digital world where we can quickly avail anything and everything at our doorstep. As a society, we love comfort and convenience. But, it leads to dependence on packaged products that causes pollution. You must have noticed how a product is wrapped in layers of bubble wrap and cardboard carton box, everything that ends up in a bin. But, as a part of the movement, many online companies are delivering materials packed in recycled envelopes that can be used again and again. Like, many rakhi online stores are delivering their silver rakhi online and other rakhis in boxes that can be used dozens of times after the festivities.
- Ceramic Coffee Mugs: We all enjoy a hot cup of coffee on the go, and later we throw away the disposable cups. And every second person indulges in the same act resulting in heaps of plastic mugs that can’t be recycled. To minimize waste or to achieve the zero waste many coffee houses have started providing coffee in ceramic mugs to customers who prefer drinking coffee at the spot and levying an extra charge to those who wish to take away their coffee in disposable cups.
- Replacing Paper Bags with Plastic Bags: Many retail outlets have replaced plastic bags with paper, cloth, and jute bags because plastic is the major source of waste and pollution. Bags made from cloth and jute are much more durable, washable, and can be used for a longer period.
In addition to these, many clothing brands have substituted chemical dyes with organic dyes. Brands in all the sectors are adopting and promoting eco-friendly products, sustainable ways of manufacturing and delivering for a better world and future!