When I think of Egypt, the mental image that instantly pops up in my head is smoke coming from burning rubbish near some building. The UN recently issued a report stating that we have only 12 years to act on climate change before our Earth changes forever; it’ll never be the same.
It’s true that we can’t go back in time and reverse the damage we have done to our environment so we’d avoid our disastrous fate. However, it’s going to take a conscious collective act for real change to take place, and that includes your participation.
Living in Egypt, we all have this belief that it’s impossible to carry out an eco-friendly lifestyle, but trust me, it’s very easy. All you have to do is to follow small steps and incorporate simple changes in your day to day routine. Such actions can initiate a significant ripple effect on the long run.
There are a few practical ways to eliminate your ecological footprints. For starters, you need to consume fewer animal products! I know this can come across as a shocker, but animal agriculture is the most environmentally destructive industry on the planet. I’m not suggesting that you go straight up vegan, but just reduce your overall consumption of meat and dairy products in general.
You also need to stop wasting resources. You can apply this to all your daily actions; like taking a shower instead of a bath, closing the tap when brushing your teeth, or turning off the lights when you leave a room. Simply because our planet literally can’t afford it anymore.
Most importantly, reduce your usage of plastic. As not all of the plastic products are recyclable; they get burned, buried or get thrown straight into the ocean.
Also, always choose local products! Not only your wallet will thank you for it, but it’s a better choice for your own health and the environment as well. When buying local products, it takes less energy and causes much less pollution when the food gets delivered from the farm straight to your house.