This June month has a great day…. you all know!!!
Yes……World Environment Day…..!!!! to remind us that we are the part of this environment…..!!! Is it necessary???
Should there be a need of this day??
How pity on us??? no…..on environment.
The environment in which we are enjoying, living is going towards end. The environment which is the source of our survival is itself fighting for it’s own survival.
This environment reminder day has become an essential day for some of us… so that we can awake those sleepy people who still think that our ‘environment’ is not an important thing.
So…. some of us are conscious and spreading consciousness among others. Yes it is a good sign, but think that to aware others we are doing efforts but we are not doing anything or doing less for the environment. Instead, we should silently work for the same. People will see and try to copy you and your practices. This may take time but its consequences will last forever, not for a while. For example, plant vegetations in your periphery, use kitchen waste and water for plant nourishment. Greenery, flowers, fruits or vegetables whatever you are getting, after your consumption share with next doors. At some point or some day people will think about this, will praise you, will follow you. And ultimately, this may lead as a chain.
When people will grow their own food, they will become self sufficient. they will reduce buying those things and may further enhance the imagination. Resulting into less use of processed products, ultimately less mechanization, less industrialization, less chemicals……less or no harm to nature.
The Times of India, Ahmedabad edition has given an incredible fact on June 19th, 2017. One study conducted by BBC, Suzuki UK entitled “Your Plate might have a bigger Carbon Foot Print than your Car”.
Table: Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Emissions of Various Articles
S.No. | Product | Carbon Dioxide Emission |
1) | Bread | 50 g |
2) | Chocolate | 59 g |
3) | Cake | 81 g |
4) | Car | 98 g |
5) | Meat | 248 g |
6) | Milk | 351 g |
7) | Eggs | 440 g |
8) | Tinned Vegetables | 787 g |
The table described in a well manner that eating your daily bread heats up the planet more that driving to work from home in a small car. For instance, while calculating the carbon foot print of milk, methane emissions from cows and buffaloes have also been considered. If you are moderately active male on a 2000 calorie diet, all you eat in a day is plain bread, untoasted, no butter; your food has produced 1 kg of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches your plate. What if you got half your calories from eggs? The number would jump to about 5 kg of carbon dioxide. By replacing the eggs with meat and it would still be about 3 kg. If this is compared with 20 km round trip in a compact new swift car it will emit less than 2 kg carbon dioxide, unless you get stuck in a jam.
To conclude, it can be said that less processed food is good for us as well as for our mother nature. So, be good to her and her children, means we ourselves will be benefitted. Hence, being selfish from this point of view will not be regretted ever.
Written by: Dr. Bhawana Asnani / 22.06.2017
It’s the need of the hour to act upon rather than just preaching on such commemorating days.
Good Read mam! . Food n carbon footprint, interesting!