The Culture of Waste

If there is one thing I cannot bear watching, it is watching people waste water, power and fuel. These three things (though there are others as well) are precious commodities that are non-renewable. Hence these have to be used with great discretion only when necessary. In our country most people in cities especially, think that water is plenty in supply in the world. Of course, they do get panicky on those days the water supply is delayed. This concern for saving water and using it judiciously is only short lived. When the water supply resumes then it is back to square one. This is the same in our family and I get tired of explaining. It will take a long time to convince people to save water. I know because I have worked in drought prone areas for more than half a decade and have seen how everything suffers when there is little water.



Similar is the case with fuel. A lot of people don't realize that fuel is non-renewable. People travel for short distances in their cars without realizing the amount of fuel they are burning up. If they walk that short distance it would benefit the earth as well as their own health. I know this sounds preachy and trite but it is something that worries me. What will we leave for our next generations if we use up all the resources? We are destroying forests, using up fuel, wasting water and everything else that is precious. What will be left for our kids?



Apart from wastage we are also polluting the earth. Plastic is one thing I dislike. Everything is being made up plastic nowadays even things that needn't be. A visit to the EatStreet on Necklace Road for a snack and coffee showed how much plastic we generate. There is the plastic plate, if not plastic, then something close which is disposable, the plastic spoons and the plastic water bottle are what ends up after just a small snack. Then if you are having coffee there are the paper cups that are disposable but difficult to recycle. I have no idea how much Eat Street and all the fancy eateries in malls and other places generate every day but I am sure it amounts to mountains of trash.



It is time we started doing something. I was glad to realize that using a fountain pen to write is an eco-friendly habit. I get to indulge in my passion and at the same time also show my concern for the environment. Small steps lead to small results.