Importance of Green Living

Green living is the term used to describe a lifestyle in which living beings are more dependent on renewable resources of energy than conventional fuel. They generate less amount of hazardous waste or by-products and yet thrive better. Any individual can adopt Green or sustainable lifestyle. However, unless the majority of the population in the World or, at least, a strong community works towards the propagation of Green development and adopts a demonstrative lifestyle, significant change cannot be witnessed on Earth.

But why is Green living important?

Sustainability is the simplest term that signifies the importance of Green living. Green living ensures the resources that are required for the sustenance of diverse life on Earth never deplete. The way life is sustained on the World today is highly dependent upon the resources such as minerals and oils that are likely to drain out in future. On the contrary, human population is increasing constantly. In the last 5 decades, there has been 100% increase in the population, which is currently 6.974 billion. According to the UNO, the population will cross 10 billion-mark by 2100.

It is obvious that if the very resources that sustain life on Earth are not conserved, there could be moderate or severe crises in future. The bludgeoning population will require more while the resources will continue to deplete. Ultimately, humans will fight over fertility and suitability of land while more and more terrestrial and marine species will get extinct as they cannot adapt quickly. It will lead to the chain reaction where depleting ecosystems, decreasing natural resources and the disturbed food-web will continue in the irreversible motion. In fact, the entire Earth along with its atmosphere and magnetic fields is an ecosystem and the disturbance caused to any one component shows effect on the rest.

Green energy and its impact

• Requirement: Sustainability of energy resources is at the core of Green living. Human-life has become extensively integrated with technology and living without electrical and electronic facilities has become unimaginable. Transportation, household activity, warfare, etc. every sphere of life requires energy, which is obtained from fuel. Presently, crude oil and minerals are the major providers of energy. Their prices have been constantly rising, which signifies the growing demand. It will eventually transform into lack of availability. Hence the situation can only be left to imagination now.
• Solution: On the other hand, Green living is about deriving energy out of sustainable resources such as the sun, the wind, river currents, etc. These are independent natural resources and can be utilized for constant fuel-generation. Work on these concepts has started but nothing substantial or revolutionary has been done yet.
• Impact: The emission released due to the production of electricity out of fossil fuel is a major cause of Greenhouse Gas Effect, which is the cause of Global Warming and Ozone depletion. The Ozone layer is the Earth’s protective shield against the harmful solar radiations. If unchecked, Global Warming can render extinction of several marine and terrestrial species and disrupt agriculture in various places on Earth. Extinction of bees alone can reduce 50% of the food items found in groceries. Thus, the situation seems impounding.

Whereas, implementing Green means of fuel production and utilizing Eco-friendly, fuel efficient and non-hazardous equipment can also initiate a chain reaction, but a positive one. Unlike conventional fuel, Green fuel is produced from renewable resources that cannot diminish and their production as well as utilization releases no or insignificant amount of harmful waste or by-products. Thus, it can correct the entire cycle.

Other Green methods & concerns

Water pollution, soil contamination, wildlife conservation, climate change, etc. are the top concerns apart from renewable energy. Water is the basis of life of on Earth. Water contamination strikes the very essential requirement of life. Contaminated water is not only harmful for drinking but pollutes the soil too. Deforestation leads to climate change and irregular rainfall meaning gradual but total chaos in the geography that even pupils are taught at schools.

Preservation of resources is the Green solution. Creating awareness about rainwater harvesting, afforestation, re-cyclability of goods and waste disposal can take care of several Green concerns. Most importantly, if properly propagated and facilitated, these means are implementable in both developed and developing nations. Moreover, people are likely to readily adopt them because they help to reduce costs in both short and long term in almost every aspect of life.

Read more about Green Living and innovative ideas at Ecologist Blog