Earth Day is not just a day for people to deliver speeches and preach about environmental conservation and protection, but also a day for communities to gather together to clean up litter, plant trees, and purify rivers!

The past few years have seen a growing level of awareness regarding the environment and how it needs to be protected. People have now come to see the planet as an ecological being which needs to be taken care of and respected. The desired end result would be a society wherein resources are used without undermining the integrity and stability of the natural system and without disturbing the nature’s balance! 

There are a few choices that we as a society are required to make in order to better the Earth and beautify it! Day in and day out, we make choices, knowingly and unknowingly, that dictate the planet’s well being and health. Let us have a look at some of those and also some of their environment friendly alternatives!

Most diaries are made of virgin paper. A great alternative to virgin paper would be recycled paper. One ton of recycled paper produced saves about 17 trees and over 2 cubic meters of landfill space. Recycled paper is made using 5000 liters of water as compared to 50,000 liters consumed by virgin paper. Recycled paper consumes only 25% of the electrical power and only 1/3rd of the thermal energy as compared to virgin paper!

Let us now glance at the contrast between bamboo and plastic! Bamboo only takes about one year to decompose, as opposed to typical plastic, which can take up to 50 years minimum. Bottles made from bamboo wood are completely leak-free and organic, thanks to the rich qualities of bamboo. This means that even if you lose your bottle, or you need to dispose of it, it will biodegrade and you won’t have to worry about contamination!

There are constant debates going on these days on whether commercial soaps are better than handmade soaps. Let us settle that once and for all! Many commercial soaps contain chemical-based colorants, dyes, fragrances, lathering agents and preservatives. These additives can wreak havoc on our skin and hair, and pollute our drinking water. Some commercial soaps, toothpastes, and body washes even include triclosan, which may lead to cancer. Some handmade soaps on the other hand are made of vegetable oils and butters that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients that are essential to healthy skin. 

Every person uses a comb at least twice in a day. With combs having a lot of utility, it is imperative that we talk about the alternative materials that can be used in manufacturing combs. Our average comb is made up of plastic, but instead of plastic, try a wooden comb. Plastic in a landfill can take up to 1000 years to degrade, whereas a standard wooden chair in a landfill takes just 13 years! Apart from being good for the environment, using wooden or bamboo combs have their own health benefits as well! 

Rational and responsible consumption of resources is the key to safeguarding the planet and ensuring that the needs of future generations are not compromised. 

Development today is closely linked to a high amount of carbon emissions leading to air pollution, and a corrupted state of water bodies resulting from toxic waste being dumped in them. This is something that needs to change. Development should equate health, prosperity, and happiness, and as the cliché goes, cleanliness leads to happiness! 

As you know, at Saathi, we are all about sustainable living! We've planted the seeds of a very special surprise for you to encourage those in our community who want a little nudge to try a sustainable lifestyle. We can't wait to share the fruits of our labor with you soon. There are a few clues hidden in this blog, see if you can guess. ;)

This Earth Day let’s take a pledge to save the planet by making a switch towards sustainability and saying no to single use plastic. We're thrilled that our community has been participating actively in the 21 day challenge! Check out some of the highlights here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2LuG1haNE0

Comment below and share some of the eco friendly alternatives that you think can be used to be kinder to our planet!

About Saathi

Saathi is an award winning social venture which has a patented technology to convert agri-waste into absorbent materials. Our sanitary pads are 100% biodegradable and compostable made from banana and bamboo fibers, which convert into compost in 6 months of its disposal. Saathi pads are good for the body🩸, community 🌎 and environment 🌱. We are on a mission to revolutionize the hygiene industry as a consumer products company that makes products in a sustainable and responsible way. 

We are recognized by the UNESCO Green Citizens, United Nations, TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2019, Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards and Expo 2020 Dubai among others for our innovative, social impact and sustainable work. We are working towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12, 13, 3, 9, 5, 6, 8, and 14.

Check out a short video of our story here and follow us at @saathipads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Youtube to learn about more facts and myth busters about sustainability, women’s health, and more! 

Sources- 

• https://goloadup.com/how-long-garbage-decompose/
• https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/the-lifecycle-of-plastics#gs.yf7tsz
• https://www.iliveeco.co/blogs/news/from-plastic-to-bamboo-which-water-bottle-material-is-best-for-you#
• https://www.planetwood.co.uk/blog/the-true-impact-of-plastic-bags-compared-to-paper-and-reusable-bags