Practicing environmental protection in our daily lives and at home is easier than we can imagine. All you need is a little common sense, a little solidarity in the pursuit of general well-being and thinking about what we can do from home to help improve the difficult environmental situation on our planet.
One cannot say that the will of an individual alone does not achieve anything. The connection of many isolated people will form a crowd that no one can doubt.
Let’s start doing something now, wherever we are, the earth will thank us and we will have contributed to its salvation.
Water
It is a fatal mistake to assume that the planet’s water supplies are inexhaustible. Only less than 1% of the available water is drinkable.
Humans only use fresh water. Until now there was sufficient quantity, but the constant contamination of rivers, lakes and groundwater tables means that increasingly complex treatment processes are required to make it drinkable and therefore more expensive. More than two million people worldwide, especially children, die every year from a lack of drinking water.
Of all the water consumed by an individual in urban centers, only 5 liters are used for drinking and cooking, the rest is lost in the drains of bathrooms and kitchens, not to mention what happens in industry. The ideal would be to have a meter that allows us to check consumption at least once a month.
A conscious use of water means, for example:
1) Shower instead of bathing. The shower uses less than a quarter of the water of a full bath, not counting the energy needed to heat the water.
2) Repair leaky faucets and keep water tank floats in good condition. One drop per second is equivalent to thirty liters per day, almost a thousand liters per month.
3) The bathroom uses 75% of a home’s water. Unless it is necessary or absolutely necessary, do not press the button all the way to avoid completely emptying the tank.
4) When brushing your teeth you lose 20 liters of water and when shaving if you leave the tap open you lose 30 liters, so it is better to close the tap and open it only when we need it.
The air
Our metabolism needs oxygen to function. Every time we breathe in, we bring 21% oxygen and 0.03% carbon dioxide into our lungs. When we exhaled, the carbon dioxide level rose to 4%, while only 16% oxygen remained.
In plant organisms this process is exactly the opposite.
Continuous population growth, the disappearance of large areas of forest and natural disasters are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as is the burning of large quantities of coal and oil.
One way to clean the air we breathe is to expand urban green spaces and maintain and replace trees on urban sidewalks. Walking or cycling whenever possible is healthier and less harmful to the environment.
Do not burn leaves, branches or debris of any kind to avoid increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. which in most cases can become highly toxic gases.
Home
We live in absurd ways; ever cleaner houses in an increasingly polluted environment.
The level of pollution inside the house may be higher than outside; This is due to the composition of the cleaning products and insecticides used.
A significant increase in respiratory diseases and dermatological problems is due to domestic air pollution.
Household cleaners, when filtered through cesspools or cracks in sewers, contribute to the pollution of groundwater tables and rivers. To minimize these risks, it is necessary:
Limit the use of cleaning products. Choose ones that are biodegradable. As a degreaser for ceramics and glass, you can use vinegar and lemon in solution. The same solution is suitable for plastic surfaces, porcelain, tiles and a variety of common materials in the home.
To wash toilets and sinks, you can use baking soda and water, and to disinfect, add 1/2 cup of borax dissolved in 1 gallon of water.
The toxic oven cleaner can be replaced with baking soda diluted in hot water and then rubbed carefully with a steel sponge.
Aromatic plants such as basil or lavender repel insects without having to resort to toxic sprays.
To tell roaches enough, mix equal parts boric acid and powdered sugar. Place the mixture on any disposable lid and place it in cupboards, cupboards and corners. Be careful not to get the product wet or it will lose its effectiveness and replace it once a week.
Do not use mothballs as they can damage the liver and kidneys. Replace with sachets of lavender or frankincense essences.
floors
Every plant is good for the environment.
If you don’t have land at home to sow or plant them, you can grow them in pots.
Covering the facades with climbing plants cools in summer and protects in winter.
It is healthy to separate properties with bushes instead of building walls and fences.
If you don’t have space with soil, you can easily grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs and keep them under a window that receives sunlight.
Many of the spices used to flavor foods can be grown in pots. For example: parsley, oregano or basil.
Aromatic herbs like mint, tarragon and thyme are excellent pest deterrents.
ALTERNATIVE RECIPES FOR HOME HYGIENE
For dishes:
- Three tablespoons of grated white soap
- Half a cup of alcohol vinegar
- One liter of water
Dissolve the soap in water, add the vinegar, pour into a clean bottle and shake. Always label before use.
Exposing pipes:
As a preventive measure, pour boiling water with half a cup of baking soda once a week, followed by half a cup of vinegar and a handful of salt.
If the drain is severely clogged, dilute 1/2 cup of baking soda in boiling water. Leave on for 15 minutes and repeat the process. Then circulate plenty of boiling water.
Insecticides for indoor plants:
- 30 grams of grated white soap
- 1 liter of water
- 1/4 liter of burning alcohol
Dilute the soap in the water and add rubbing alcohol. Spray the plants. Don’t leave them in the sun. After spraying, rinse the very sensitive parts with cold water.
By Susana Papale
Maybe you are also interested
