Sustainable Living- An Insight

The design is an aesthetic world that describes imagination, concept & allure to modify things around us & turn the world into a better place. It fascinates us with its brilliance & relates us to the product. On the other hand, we being the creators are well aware of the limitations posed by a certain design and the impact it is going to cast on the environment. Therefore, a smart designer would always push his limitations & come up with a creation that stands for the environment- one of the prime concerns at the moment.

The world is facing a constant threat of global warming, and ecological imbalance lately, which has also led to frequent natural disasters and the madness continues to increase. We are already under severe threat from the growing concerns like the rise in water level, contamination of aquatic world & the leftover discharge from oil & other livestock industries. The issue of smog in China, which led to the complete closure of their capital city, was nothing less than a beeping alarm for India. Capital city Delhi reeled under similar circumstance earlier this year when the residents gasped for breathable air for close to two weeks.

Today we can’t afford to overlook the increasing disparity triggered by our acute selfishness. Speaking of ecological imbalance the recent fire outbreaks in Uttarakhand (India), USA, And Australia could also be termed as a byproduct of the hazards that we raise during the quest to overthrow our competitors. It would be clear from the fact that these fire outbreaks failed to get proper media attention, the reason could be widely eminent, political lobbying or the self-interest. Similarly, ivories worth millions of dollars were burnt down in Kenya recently, 105 tons of tusks precisely. Today, the world pays for illegal poaching.

Asia is doing fine and the example can be seen in the form of Hong Kong that ranks as the continent’s second-most sustainable city, after Seoul, according to the new ranking of world’s 50 leading cities. Singapore & Malaysia are also leading by example. Leaders across the world have already gotten into the defensive mode, which was visibly eminent at the 2015 United Nation Climate change conference in Paris. It was also treated as the last warning that if we don’t act soon, everything is going to be engulfed by nature’s fury!

Sustainable living includes our ability comply with:

1.    Ecological Value

Before getting into anything, we must acknowledge the grave seriousness of ecological imbalance. The prominent ones of them being Whaling, Oil spill in the ocean, Carbon Footprint, Afforestation, and Water-electricity harvesting.

Speaking of whaling, we are aware of the fact that killing & trading of the giant mammal is very much in practice in East Asian & island nations. What we don’t understand is, when a whale is killed thousands of gallons of its blood is spilled in water, which spreads & contaminates it, and results in the demolition of aquatic habitats. There are several organizations & volunteers seeking justice for the same but this has to stop sooner. The oil spill in the gulf region is another concern that poses a severe threat if not less. Call it accidental or the casual approach devised by the giant conglomerates. The oil spill contains the potential to demolish everything in its vicinity, and the after effect stays for quite long. 

Given the fact that marine life accounts for a chunk of nature's ecology, we can't afford to overlook this threat. The dangerous chemical components of the fossil fuel become too much to handle for the aquatic life.

Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gasses produced to, directly and indirectly, support human activities, and usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). So, it is the summation of all the activities that we perform to sustain life on earth & the CO2 emission that it causes. For example, the vehicles & transport system that we have must be in a top-notch condition so that it’s carbon footprint is minimal.

We are cutting the trees at an unprecedented pace and aren't really bothered about afforestation, which doesn’t augur well about us.  The lesson can be learned from the likes of Pornhub, which was in the news recently for the right reason, yes they are planting a tree for every video watched on their site. Look, it has to be some way or the other that we practice sustainable living in every way we can else nature is going to come hard at us.

Developed countries have also been in the news for bullying the weaker & third world countries for their support. So it becomes quite predictable that they aren’t going to speak against them even when their monopoly over continuing with environmental hazard continues.

E-waste- the threat caused by the rising quantity of e-waste is another issue that needs out attention. Mobile technology has leveraged accessibility around us. The life has been simplified and we stand testimony to this transformation, but do we care where do all the obsolete & scrap phones & gadgets go after we discard them? Of course not! People these days prefer to change their smartphone at least once a year & the obsolete version just lies around us emitting harmful radiations. Yes, the heavy metal used in the phones & other electronic gadgets do emit radiation causing serious health hazards.

As a matter of fact, many African countries & also the parts of coastal India are the favorites for developed nations to send across the waste where further scrapping process is carried out. We can't ignore the fact that lots African countries are affected by such deadly diseases, thanks to the selfish & pathetic step taken by the likes of developed nations.

2.    Minimal consumption of Non-Renewable energy

 The primary objective behind the advent of sustainable design is to make our surrounding sustainable & environment-friendly. By environment-friendly I mean to say that the more the use of renewable energy, the better it’s for the mankind. 

The increase in the amount of Co2, vegetation in the Arctic & Antarctic region is another major concern that leads to the depreciation of ice caps. Which leaves us with limited options & that includes the use of renewable source of energy & keeping the environment in top notch condition. That way our dependency on fossil fuel or non-renewable sources of energy subsides, which ultimately leads to a sound ecological balance in nature. The ideologies that make us yearn for a better tomorrow.

3.    Smart usage of Eco-Friendly products

My prediction here is, if there would be a war next time, it would be because of water. So conserving it is not just a responsibility, it’s the utmost necessity. We must protect & conserve water thinking at least of our future generation.

Among others, the basic objective of sustainability is to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environment. Truth be told, if we don’t pay attention to this now, the day is not far when earthquake & landslides would be termed as man-made disasters.

4.    Enhanced indoor environment

Let there be light but limiting it according to the required need never hurt anybody. Your living spaces could be well lit up with Led bulbs and 5-star rated appliances coz they reduce the electricity consumption marginally.

Every unit of electricity saved could light up a home. It's a practice that would eventually lead us to a better world handpicked by responsible people & lots of conserved resources.

Tesla is one such conglomerate that is initiating towards a sustainable world propelled by rechargeable batteries & electronic gadgets. Tesla broke ground on the Gigafactory in June 2014 outside Sparks, Nevada, and they are expected to begin cell production in 2017. By 2020, the Gigafactory will reach full capacity and produce more lithium ion batteries annually than were produced worldwide in 2013.

In cooperation with Panasonic and other strategic partners, the Gigafactory will produce batteries for significantly less cost using economies of scale, innovative manufacturing, reduction of waste, and the simple optimization of locating most manufacturing process under one roof. It intends to improvise the standard of living by taking the power reserve capacity to the next level. Yes, tesla's Gigafactory is the next big transformation, which would take care of our basic electronics necessity, bringing sustainability to the fore.

5.    Optimized operational and maintenance practices

For a better living, we must step up to make the world a better place. The minimal usage of fossil fuel is certainly a positive step towards making things right. Developed countries have already started the practice of commuting to nearby areas by using the bicycle. For cycling is not just good for health but it also contributes towards the environmental cause. This reminds me of the fact that few European countries such as Denmark have started the practice of constructing the dedicated highways for cyclists.

Waste management- Denmark has been in the news for all the good reasons and they are the examples that we definitely look up to. They have set up a subtle facility that does the waste management & the waste isn’t left to contaminate the atmosphere. Yes, it does include organic as well as inorganic waste. Producing electricity from waste is also another feasible method that adds to the cause of sustainable development.

6.    Passive Strategies

Passive strategies could also include strategies that support innovative yet environmental friendly design. I recently read about Green Design, which includes next level architecture & a giant step towards the promotion of sustainable design. Green Design includes an efficient condensing boiler, a green roof, efficient water fixtures, high-performance lighting, and low-irrigation landscaping. A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of the most popular green building certification programs used worldwide. The program has been widely used by the likes of giant builders who comply with its guidelines.

Then there is the idea of Green Building. Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. So when we actually think of a feasible yet killing sustainable design, the idea of Green Design tickles our gray cells in the first place.

7.    Sustainable materials

So, these materials are those materials that provide, environmental, social & economic benefits while protecting public health & environment. Given the current situation & the constant threat from the environment that we keep asking, there is hardly any room for escape unless we start acting soon. 

Being aware of the fact that plastic & polysubstance are nondegradable, we are left with only 2 choices. Either deal with it & recycle or stop using it completely. But we don’t seem to be buying any of these ideas. Therefore, it’s pretty justified if government forces it upon us. The need of the hour is that the use of plastic bag & bottles must stop sooner and biodegradable materials like paper & jute bag must be used widely.

Emma Watson’s wardrobe at the Met Gala was made up of recycled plastic bottles. It was anything but a hint how we must recycle the plastic & shouldn’t just throw it away anywhere.

Hemp- The non-psychoactive cousin to marijuana, hemp has been an illegal crop for decades even though we are aware of the fact that this hemp is multiple benefits in one body. It is still illegal in most parts of the world, the reason being it contains less than 0.03% THC- the marijuana variants have a higher content of tetrahydrocannabinol.

Hemp has multiple uses as it can be refined into products such as hemp seed foods, hemp oil, wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper, and fuel. The USA & some European countries are already making good use of Hemp. India is yet to fight its cannabis demon before acknowledging the fact that alcohol does much harm than THC.

Use of clay has become a rare sight, which must be initiated & used on a wider scale. It's cost effective, promotes local and small-scale industry, looks trendy (to me at least) and destroys completely.

It’s easy to cry foul or make promises but we often end up falling short on our grounds. Lack of dustbins is another major concern & precisely the reason why most of us end up littering the garbage at random places.

8.    Health & Wellness

Health & Happiness for all is the mantra for a happy life. Yoga is a habit that has kept us fit & sound since the time unknown. It not only enables us to stay in perfect shape but also opens the door to mental peace & wellness.

Living off the grid- a lovely facet of life that has started trending recently. People, who are tired of the bustle & chaos of a city life full of pollution, escape into the peaceful retreat. They flee to a place that is secluded & is located in the countryside or maybe the woods. Those who have already lived that life have spoken high of it. Imagine yourself waking up to a mild & mystic environment, perspiring leaves lit up by the bright sun and your aspiration taking a leap into the valley of tranquility. Who doesn’t want to draw breath in such locale! Well, it’s time you started looking off the grid!

Livestock industry- the likes of PETA are already working towards the cause but it wouldn’t be possible if the urge doesn’t hit us from within. Animals are beneficial to us in multiple ways. They yield food products and help us with our daily needs but we aren’t realizing it. Yet we kill them for the beautiful & soft skin with which they are blessed. Poaching for ivory, skin & horns would certainly meet our short-term economic concerns but it’s only going to pose a security threat to the particular species in the longer run thus creating an ecological imbalance. See how things are connected! I don’t understand why do we need to intervene with nature’s exclusive system.

9.    Sustainable Transport

Transport, pollution, and below par air index! Yes, they are choking us to slow & painful death eventually. Automobile giant Tesla has already initiated for the complete electrification of cars and, they have launched a couple of models on the same lines. 

Rechargeable roads- The British government is also getting ready to test out new road technology that would allow electric cars to charge as they drive. The goal is to help drivers with electric and hybrid cars avoid frequent stops to recharge their vehicles.

Cycle Super Highway- People living in Greater Copenhagen will now have a great time cycling to work or study, thanks to the region’s new network of cycle lanes. The country’s first Cycle Super Highway and among few in the world – which gives cyclists a safe, smooth ride and eliminates as many stops as possible, is now open, connecting central Copenhagen with the suburban town of Albertslund, 22 km outside the city. It must act as a lesson for people across the globe. Cycling must be promoted on a wider scale.

Carbon Mono-oxide gas emitted by the vehicles increase with each passing day, thus making the breathable air scantly available. Unfortunately, there is no stopping this. So the best we could do is inventing more vehicles powered by solar, geothermal, wind and electrical energy. Vehicles that would use sustainable energy source & make the world a better place to live.

India & few European countries’ initiative for complete electrification of transport by 2030 is already taking its shape. Yes, that way the environment could also be decarbonized & fresh breathable air would be a treat.

Nature has been engineered in such a way that tampering it & meddling it creates the unbridgeable gap which only widens with the passage of time. We must understand that things at our disposal are for our convenience, therefore, keeping it in perfect shape is not a mere prerogative but also our moral duty. Nature has already started giving up on us, it’s time we realized & worked collectively so that we could offer our future generation a beautiful Earth live.

P.S- I might have missed out on some of the vital aspects. Please feel free to share your opinion.