7 tips for fighting pollution and living better
Monday | June 05, 2017 | 3:50 PM | Last update: June 05, 2017, 4:09 PM (Brasilia time)
1) Give a ride
Have you noticed if, where you work, there are other work colleagues who live close to you? Why not give them a ride? After all, five people in a vehicle are four fewer cars ahead of you in the rush hour. In this way, you save time, your health, help save the planet. In addition, you’ll have a little extra money for fuel and will also enjoy the company of your work colleagues.
2) Going by bus and/or train may be nicer
It may seem a bit uncomfortable, but it's really well worth it. Beside not having to spend money on fuel, you’ll also not have to worry about parking your car. There’s also no risk of it being stolen. Some cities, like the capital of São Paulo, Brazil, have created bus lanes, which make their journeys much faster, and many of them are equipped with air conditioning and on-board TV. Moreover, travel time can be great for getting up-to-date with your reading or listening to music on your headphones.
3) Choose eco-friendly products
Choose products that don’t have a negative impact on the environment, as well as organic products—without the addition of synthetic pesticides—that come from an eco-friendly source. Sustainable, economical, and reusable packaging is also a good option. Oh, and of course, avoid plastic bags! They take a long time to disappear.
4) Control wildfires
It seems like we can’t do anything about this. But some measures can be taken to avoid fire from spreading, especially during dry periods. Don’t throw garbage on the floor under any circumstances, and if you still have the harmful smoking habit, remember to carefully discard cigarette butts properly; never throw them on the ground or discard them before they are completely out.
5) Recycle
Recycling is one of the simplest ways to save the planet. . . Separate at least your dry garbage from the wet organic garbage and send it for recycling. If you do not have a recycling program in your neighborhood, how about gathering some of the neighbors and, once a week, choosing someone to take it to a suitable place? There must be at least one cooperative in your town that does this kind of work.
6) Reduce food waste
Are you sure you're going to eat everything you put on your plate? Our eyes are often bigger than our stomach, as the saying goes. And this is not something that happens only to you: about a third of all food is wasted worldwide. With regard to how much is wasted at the production stages, there’s nothing we can do, but how much we waste after the food is ready is our responsibility. So, try putting on your plate only what you’re going to be able to eat. It’s better to have two helpings than to let it go to waste =)
7) Reduce garbage production
Reducing the amount of waste is an increasingly urgent habit, and it’s up to us to act. So plan your purchases wisely. Buy the amount of food you need for your consumption; observe the expiry date; and cook only what you’re going to eat. This avoids waste and reduces the amount produced. And remember to dispose of trash in suitable places: paper with paper, aluminum with aluminum, and toxic products in appropriate places for them.
