GREEN LIVING: Why You Should Make the Shift this 2019
These days, there is no denying that there is a high price to pay when we prioritize convenience and live with a short-term mindset of getting as much as we can now, without thinking about the consequences that we or our loved ones will reap tomorrow.
One need not go far therefore to be convinced that something has to change in our lifestyles — what we take in our bodies, how we dispose our waste, what we buy, among other things. The list of lifestyle-related diseases even among the youth is a staple in the news and disasters are here to stay.
Green living is a lifestyle choice that is best for our health and well-being while being mindful and fair to the communities we belong to and to nature. It’s a gradual process that starts with consciousness – that our actions or inaction have an effect to our communities and to nature, which is the source of our basic needs.
If you are in Davao City, many environmental groups and advocates work with government agencies to make this lifestyle shift convenient for you. Here are four small steps to get you started:
- Spend more time outdoors! Bring your loved ones to any of Davao’s public parks, study under a tree, teach a child to ride a bike, or take your friends to bird watching in Shrine Hills. Try to skip the malls, the fast food chains and all the wasteful plastic packaging in these places. Prepare your own food and enjoy a picnic in the green spaces of our city.
- Go organic! Buy fruits, vegetables and other organic products from local farmers who continue with indigenous, chemical-free farming amidst the tough market competition with big businesses. They are available Thursdays and Fridays at Rizal Park! You can also contact them directly for orders.
- Start small, go for low (instead of all-out zero) waste! Be conscious of the waste you produce. Properly dispose or recycle your waste products. Buy in bulk if you can. Skip the plastics and buy local, reusable, and environment-friendly products. If you can’t avoid those single-use plastics due to budget constraints, hand them over for upcycling to our Lunhaw Awardees who create new use for waste products that would most likely end up in our sanitary landfill.
- Harvest Rain! It’s free! It can generate savings in your water bill and can help reduce the water that floods our urban centers. Do you know that Davao City uses its world-class drinking water for flushing, cleaning and gardening? Let’s stop the water waste and conserve water especially as summer and drought season approaches.
Try these in 2019 and let us know how easy or difficult the shift is. We’re more curious to know by the end of the year though how much better you’d feel with yourself given the change. Thank you in advance for thinking of our city and our environment.
A greener you for a greener, livable city!