Are We Sustainable by Accident?

Umm, I think I wrote something about sustainability a few days before.

Anyways, I do have certain things, small habits I would say, that could be considered practicing a sustainable lifestyle.

I mean, I don’t do it thinking I need to practice sustainability. They just automatically happen as part of being in a middle-class Indian family.

You know, the concept of the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse, and recycle – is basically imprinted on all middle-class Indians.

We don’t buy stuff unless we direly need it, and even then, we’re still hoping we could do something with ‘jugaad‘.

We practically reuse every item until it begs us to leave it alone.

Empty plastic cans turn into flower pots or storage containers. I don’t know the last time I threw away a plastic container.

Recycling, however, is something I can say we are very poor at.

We usually dispose of every item in the same garbage bag, not bothering if it is biodegradable or non-biodegradable. I mean, I have done it too, I will not lie.

The thought that strikes you is, “Who is gonna use two separate bags for garbage?”

And this is what separates us from the cleaner nations, I guess. (I am working on it, and you should too.)

Next is how in Indian families, you won’t see unnecessary lights, fans, or ACs turned on.

Heck, my mom closes them even when I am using them, so you can imagine the mindful power consumption practices we follow.

And it is not because of sustainability; it is because of the bill. Anything where money can be saved, we do it.

Next up would be something I practice myself. I walk instead of taking cabs and autos whenever I can.

And again, the primary reason is saving money because cabs are expensive.

So, if we look at it from the point of view of sustainability, we Indians do contribute a lot; at least, I do.

But, I can understand that people from developed countries would consider this behaviour frugal, which I would not deny.

It is what it is.

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