World Environment Day 2021— it’s theme and how you can help

The restoration of ecosystems can be assisted by anyone— from big governments and businesses to individual citizens. Here are some ways, you as an individual can help:

• Taking action such as starting or supporting an on-the-ground restoration project
• Making smart choices like buying only sustainable products and changing diets
• Raising your voice in support of ecosystem conservation and restoration

As cliche as it sounds, planting trees can help significantly in preserving the terrestrial ecosystems. Go one step further and take up a leadership role in organising a planting campaign in your community. You can also support organisations that plant trees or volunteer in such programs organised in your locality. Other ways you can help is by feeding the animals that have made your locality as their own home like the stray dogs, cats, pigeons and other birds. You can always keep a water bowl in a convenient place so that this animals and birds can quench their thirst specially in the summer.

Almost all products such as clothing, accesories, storage, stationary, food and so on, now have sustainable alternatives. It is high time that we support businesses that provide such alternatives and walk away from the much less environment friendly companies. However, it comes as no shock that sustainable products are more expensive than their harmful counterparts. We must make it our habit to shop sustainably whenever we can. Changing our diet to a vegan or vegetarian diet is good for the environment. At the very least, we must explore and adopt a more environment-friendly way of life.

Raising your voice in support of ecosystem conservation and restoration might seem like it won’t make much of a difference. But in this day and age where social media is such a powerful tool, such voices matter a lot. Big brands and even governments care about their image on media— traditional and social. You can take this opportunity to raise your voice. These big names are bound to be pressured to make sustainable efforts to preserve the environment if enough people speak out.

It is everyone’s responsibility to protect the environment that we are part of. It is crucial to preserve all types of ecosystem. No matter how small a part we play, our part is still absolutely necessary.