"Where do you keep the paper plates ?", I asked my brother, while holding a packet of Haldirams in one hand, and ransacking the cabinets with the other.
"Paper plates!", he exclaimed, "What do you need that for?"
"So that I dont end up spilling peanuts and chips all over your carpet", I replied, still searching for those elusive paper plates.
"Well I dont stack paper plates, and neither should you. Why waste paper when you can use regular plates and clean them.....", and he went on on lecturing about environment and energy. In my usual style, I started joking about this issue, and claimed that such tiny things are like drops in an ocean....till I came across this quote
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." - Mother Teresa
I had taken special liking to all the "use and throw" stuff readily available in this country. Paper plates, plastic spoons, knives and fork formed an integral part of my daily consumption. They were convenient, cheap, and made sure I never end up wasting time on a chore like washing my plates every now and then. Living in a country where 6% of the world's population consume 25% of the world's natural resources, I never regretted my actions.
However, a month ago, when I went grocery shopping, I forgot picking up a packet of these paper plates, and I ended up sending a week deprived of my daily dose of paper. But to my surprise, I faced very little trouble in adjusting to this new lifestlye. Its been more than 50 days, since I have touched paper plate/plastic spoon, and I am feeling really good about myself.
Even at work, I have started making an effort at printing only necessary information and using used printouts as rough paper and making a sincere effort to reduce my paper consumption. Does this effort change the world in anyway ? I hope it does, but even it doesnt...hey, it didnt change my lifestyle, so why not keep doing it.
A guy driving a 3.5L V6, guzzling a gallon of gasoline for 20 miles, should probably refrain from talking about natural resource conservation......but I was just wondering, if tiny changes to our normal day lifestyle could yeild significant results.
9 comments:
Machaan good effort... as an inspiration from you I will refrain myself from publishing "paper" for next 20 days.. let me try if I am successful doing that ;P
Good one pointy!! shabaash yaar. I will "copy" your actions and see if does make a diff to my life! Way to go!
Good for you Arun. Good to see another convert towards a more greener lifestyle.
About that "drop in the ocean thing" here's what Margaret Mead had to say about it:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
@Susu..u and ur advisor should be hanged for wasting papers....every time u work for a "deadline"...u r actually working towards "deadtrees"..
@Totti....When will u stop copying my ideas ?
@Transmogrifier....I really liked that quote...
Really liked this post shows the power of how one man's thinking and beleifs can change lives
Way to go! And trust me, washing utensils is far easier than ironing clothes ;)
Aussies whitewash the rest of the world.whereas india and india A are involved in a "thriller" match :)
Good for you! It's these little things in life that go on to make the biggest difference. Really liked the quote by transmogrifier.
@Totti...Gilly back to form....Flintoff, KP ur days r over..
@M ....even I agree with the quote
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