KARACHI:
Despite being heavily reliant on the environment, we have continuously exploited it and exhausted several of our natural resources. In the last few decades, the use of vehicles has grown, which has resulted in severe air pollution. Brick kilns and the burning of farm waste have further deteriorated the air quality in Lahore and other cities.
The use of incandescent bulbs has increased energy consumption because of which utility costs have risen along with higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial and chemical waste has polluted our water bodies and increased human demand is exhausting most of our water resources. Airplanes release water vapour and nitrogen oxides into the stratosphere, which exacerbates the rate of greenhouse gases and depletes the ozone layer. To reduce the impact of human activity on the environment, everyone needs to act urgently. The government should focus on clean transportation and improving public transport so that people reduce the use of their vehicles. Also, people should be encouraged to walk or bicycle to places and should switch to LED bulbs as they use approximately 90% less energy.
Additionally, green features such as passive solar heating should be installed in buildings as it accumulates sunlight and releases it in the absence of the sun. Sustainable methods such as rainwater harvesting along with greywater recycling systems should be prioritised. Lastly, people should undertake sustainable purchasing habits by buying used or recycled items. We need to become more conscious of our ecological footprint and make a concerted effort to protect the environment to avoid future climate catastrophes.
Usba Fayyaz
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2022.
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