Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, dearest ones.

Its finally here with us and everyone seems very happy. Its one week that carries heavy week with it. One week to the new year with new possibilities. We get an opportunity to spend with our loved ones and family.

But we should not stop taking good care of our environment. Environment conservation and preservation should always be in our thoughts and actions.

Remember we agreed to stop the one use plastic items.

If You Can’t Reuse It, Refuse It (One Use Plastics)

Yes, we have all agreed that if you can’t reuse it.,refuse it. Saying NO to one use plastics. As we mark World environment Day, the theme is to beat plastic pollution. We are to work together in ensuring that we avoid use of one time use plastics.

This year’s World environment day was celebrated by more people. It seems that conservation education and awareness is finally get home. More people are aware of the need to stop pollution.

Governments, organizations and individuals were able to mark this important day. The message was similar across board.Beating plastic pollution.

Most countries including Kenya have ban the use of one time use plastics. This was a great progress towards a plastic free universe. More laws are being made to regulate plastic use.

Banning of one use plastic bags is just the beginning. We should be able to find alternatives for other plastics too. This includes the straws, utensils, among others. None of the plastics decompose, hence end up harming the environment.

Oceans are the most affected in this fight.

Oceans are where plastics find their way into, once discarded. Tonnes of plastics have been retrieved from these water bodies during clean-ups. As the rivers and other water bodies fed the ocean with water. They do carry plastics with them.

Plastics are light hence floats on water bodies and easily carried away by waves. They end up causing more harm to the marine life.

These effects include:

  • Preventing oxygen from penetrating into the ocean. As they form a layer on the top of the water. No air is allowed to penetrate through.
  • Prevents light. Plants growing at the surface of these water bodies need light. Photosynthesis becomes impossible. Plants end up dead.
  • Marine  animals do confuse plastic for food. They end up feeding on these plastics. Plastics are indigestible. And with time, these animals end up dead.
  • Plastic do produce harmful toxins. The toxins causes serious illness to both marine life and humans.
  • They cause suffocation.
  • They tangle marine life.

For plastics to disappear, we have to act as a universe.They are many ways you can be able to contribute to a plastic free universe. These includes:

  1. Refrain from using a plastic straws.
  2. Replace plastic beverage cups with travel mugs.
  3. Invest in long-lasting water bottles.
  4. Finding alternatives for plastics.
  5. Ensure to dispose the yet banned plastics responsibly.
  6. Participate in sensitizing others on the effects of plastics.
  7. Participate in clean-up activities.
  8. Contributing ideas and ways to beat plastics in forums.

Anything that can help beat plastic, just do it.

May we observe this noble act throughout. And not only on the World Environment Day. Make it a daily routine. We only one planet and if we destroy it. We have nowhere to go. No planet B, let’s make it plastic free again.

Every little or enormous step and contribution will be a great step to our success. We are homo sapiens sapiens, the most superior species. Nothing is impossible to accomplish. We just need to be willing. Where there’s will, there’s way.

Make World Environment Day , your daily thing.

Not forgetting our goal of Zero/almost Zero waste.

Let’s talk about the Zero Waste

Let’s talk about the zero waste.

It has been discussed and campaigned a couple of months now. And more people are embracing it as well as giving out their opinion about it. It’s one of the moves geared towards conservation of mother nature.

Have you heard of Lauren Singer, a regular New Yorker who could fit her four years waste in a jar. She a true definition of almost zero waste.

How does she do it?

Her own words, “I do compost and recycle but only as a last resort — I try to avoid packaging at all costs”

She is quite impressive, right? And shows that it’s possible to reduce our waste when we decide to.

Is zero waste possible?

Am yet to totally agree with it since at some point we will encounter some unavoidable waste. And it takes time and discipline to give up habits. So to me I guess, it should be almost zero waste. As opposed to zero waste.

So what’s the idea here?

Whether zero waste or almost zero waste, ways to get there are similar. And they include:

Refraining from use of one use plastic stuff.

That includes plastic bags, disposable utensils, among others. This one is almost catered for by most countries. As ban on the one use plastic is being enacted to these countries.

Practising recycling and reusing stuff

Instead of being quick to dispose anything we might think it’s a waste. We should now start thinking about refusing or recycling them for other purposes. This will help reduce reusable/recycles that end up in dumpsites too early and half used.

Using reusable packaging and storage

Most packages are made of plastic, same as the storage containers. By using glass wares, we are able to eliminate plastics from our fridge. This also include carrying our lunches to work from home. Hence avoiding buying the lunches packed in plastic packages.

Using reusable coffee mugs and bottles

It’s time to divorce the disposable coffee cups and one use plastic water bottles. Invest in a good mug and water bottle that can be reused on daily basis.

Do we really need drinking straws?

I don’t think so. Next time you visit cafe or bar, and they offer you the drinking straws. Politely decline and just drink your refreshment straight from your glass. You will have saved mother nature big time.

Food management

It’s surprising how much food is wasted all over the world. Yet we have places where people are dying of starvation.

While shopping for food, buy what you will have consumed before they expire and end up being thrown away.

Only serve what you can manage to clean from your plate.

Those simple steps will help wasting food.

My take

I think zero waste will be a great help towards conservation. It will also empower us economically , as they will be no unnecessary wastage.

It may not happen overnight and yes its not a walk in the park. But needs practice and devotion. And most important, it will pay off in the long run.

It’s time we all embrace it, teach it to others and share our success/fail stories so as to inspire others as well as ourselves.

I have decided to fully observe it, will share how the journey unfolds. And hope more join this practice.

After all has been said and done. May we all have a merry Christmas and spread love.

20 thoughts on “Merry Christmas”

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