There is a great need today to protect our environment. But question arises here how to protect our depleted environment?  But first of all “Happy World Environment Day”. But are we really happy with our environment! The obvious answer is no. Who is responsible? Of course we are.

Today we all are celebrating the World Environment Day. Let us discuss briefly about the history of it:

What is the origin of word environment:

Environment consists of two terms: “environ- means around or surrounding” and “ment- means process or action”.

When World Environment day is started:

Due to the raising environmental concerns, United Nations took an initiative and the first conference entitled “United Nations conference on the human environment” was held in Stockholm, Sweden on June 5-16, 1972. Therefore, the day is celebrated every year on June 5 to raise global awareness about the depleted environment.

Every year the world environment day is celebrated with different theme.

The theme for 2012 is : Green Economy: Does it include you?

This theme is basically related with reduction in carbon, pollution, enhance energy and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem.

In 2001, the theme was: Forests: Nature at your service

How to protect the environment

On this very important day, may i ask you and to me, what we are doing to save our earth or how can we protect our environment? Do you treat your home as a bin and if answer is no, then why you treat our earth as a bin? Can you survive without home, of course no then how can you imagine to survive without environment!

Let us discuss 20 things that we can do to protect the environment:

1. Plant a plant

2. Save water, where ever you can do save water. Can you live without it, no. How to save water?

a) Brush without running water

b) wash clothes without running water and so many small things we can do to save water.

3. Save electricity

a) for example, Change your light source (bulb to tube).

b) turn –off lights if not required.

4. If possible use renewable energy resources,

a) for example, solar heaters

b) In India, Grreenathon is an Initiative by NDTV to use tube lights run by solar energy.

b) Turn off computers at night ( do not let it operate on sleep mode), by this way one can save 40 watt-hours per day.

5. Recycle (may be not possible for us but governments can do)

a) recycle paper

b) recycle cell phones

6. Go vegetarian at least once a week ( it will protect our ecosystem, to make a pound of flesh it requires lots of water)

7. Use one paper napkin less

8. Use both sides of paper

9. Wrap creatively to save paper

10. Do not use plastic bags ( do you know why because plastic is not biodegradable and it requires years for plastic to degrade).

11. maintain your vehicles so that it consumes less oil and emit less pollutants.

12. If going to a near by place, then preferably go on- foot or on cycle.

13. Stop your vehicle  engine at red light.

14. Choose card-board matches instead of lighter (because lighter uses a petroleum product called butanol).

15. cut-down junk mail

a) for example, prefer e statement of your mobile bill, bank statement

16. use e-ticket or mobile ticket during train travel.

17. Do not through the old products, donate it.

18. Use rechargeable batteries.

19. Stop smoking

20. Last but not the least, if you like the above mentioned methods then share it and enhance the knowledge of others.

You can also give your suggestions.

Only this way we can protect our environment.