SAVE PLANET / SAVE MONEY

 Saving our planet often comes with a cost. Natural, organic, reusable products are often expensive in the market. This makes us gravitate towards a cheaper but environmentally harmful product. 

We live in a country where people often care about their environment only through Instagram posts. These so-called eco-activists pop up once or twice a year and give out huge lectures on climate change and pollution and our lifestyles. I do not like them. 

I don't believe that we need to change our entire lifestyle to save our planet. Small changes here and there often go a long way. But like I said, mostly saving the planet requires money. So I am going to mention a few things I have picked up that can save our planet while saving money.

1. UNPLUG ALL YOUR ELECTRONICS

In most households, a lot of energy is wasted by continuously keeping devices plugged into the socket. This results in phantom energy usage. So always unplug devices from sockets when not in use. Your phone/laptop charger doesn't need to be in the socket permanently. Unplug it!

2. CLOTH BAGS

Invest in a pretty cloth bag or reuse one you already have. Most shops nowadays do not give plastic bags. Instead, they charge extra for cloth bags. You can save a lot of money if you always carry a cloth bag with you. Keep one in your vehicle or bag so that you will always have one with you. This way you can save your planet and not spend extra money in the long run. 

3. MENSTRUAL CUP

Every year women spend at least Rs 2500 on sanitary napkins. This is the minimum, I used to spend way more. A menstrual cup usually costs around 500 rupees and can last up to 5 years. Above all that, this is one of the best things we can do for our planet. Sanitary napkins are often hard to dispose off. We either throw them in the trash, burn them in our backyard, or god forbid flush it down. All of these are disastrous to the environment, as sanitary napkins do not decompose. A menstrual cup replaces all this with a simple, put it in, pour it out, put it back and store it for next time. No-fuss, no mess, well a little mess. But think about how cool it is for the planet. 

4. VEGETABLE GARDEN

When I say a vegetable garden I don't mean a full-blown farm. Planting a few herbs and vegetables that are used daily will save a lot of money and is good for the environment. Vegetable seeds are available online and are often cheap. So buy a few seeds and plant them. It's corona time, you ain't going anywhere, anyway. 

5. SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES

Not everybody has access to this, but those who have, try switching to sustainable alternatives. They are less harmful to the environment and are cost-effective. Single-use plastics are one of the main causes of soil and water pollution. So for every plastic product you use, try to find a reusable alternative. Below I will mention some common single-use products and some alternatives for them.

Plastic bottles- Reusable, glass or copper bottles. They are way prettier than plastic ones. 

Earbuds- Bamboo cotton buds or better, why do you wanna stick something in your ear? Just wash it with ear fluid. 

Plastic spoons- We live in an age where there are plenty of steel spoons or even wooden ones. Why do you need plastic then?

Plastic plates and cups- It has become a trend to use colourful plastic plates and cups for celebrations. Not cool bruh! Use paper cups and plates or even leaves. 

Toothbrushes- Bamboo toothbrushes are way cooler and eco-friendly.

Makeup wipes- Really! You can't wipe your face with a towel? Get yourself a pretty microfibre face cloth and use that. 

Plastic hairbrush- Wooden hairbrushes help in distributing your natural oil throughout your hair strands and reduce frizziness, which in turn reduces hair breakage. Isn't that reason enough?

With all the love in the world

Yours truly,

Butterfly

If you have any suggestions, doubts or queries feel free to mention them in the comment box below.