With summer upon us, keeping cool is a big concern and the subject of much discussion. For those trying to follow a sustainable lifestyle, it is much more challenging to figure out how to save the planet by consuming less energy, yet tide over the hot summer months in reasonable comfort.

The world is too plastic-dependent to expect a complete ban on the mouldable ‘wonder’ polymer. Indeed, any government would think twice before making such a rash decision. This is because plastic has varied uses, including in medical devices, automobile spare parts, plumbing, sewage systems, packaging, construction material, furniture, toys, shopping bags, clothes, cosmetics and much more. And since a cheaper and viable alternative is not yet on the horizon, annual global plastic production is estimated to reach 1.3 billion tonnes by 2060. However, a serious effort is being made to cut its consumption.

A wise man once said that gardening is one of the purest human pleasures. Indeed, the patch of green you tend to and watch over lovingly is where you are in communion with nature and meet it halfway every morning or evening. A friend who takes great pride in her kitchen garden, where she grows herbs and an impressive assortment of vegetables, likens looking after her plants to nurturing a child or caring for a pet. “It is pure joy to watch the seeds sprout, grow and bear flowers and fruit,” she says.

The first of January should, in real terms, be another day. But it is happily not just that since we attach a special significance to it. As someone put it, we see it as a reset time when we start afresh, dream a new dream, and set new goals. The day serves as an opportunity to start on a clean slate, think anew and even seek inspiration from those who have successfully ventured into areas we haven’t and made a difference or achieved a measure of success.

An environmentalist friend has wisely said that green habits should be gently inculcated rather than pushed down people’s throats. Her take is that humans like to break the rules and dislike being dictated. So, any harsh list of dos and don’ts will likely be discarded or forgotten quickly. The more rebellious may even follow all the don’ts diligently and avoid the dos!

Can schools go green —not with envy — but by being environmentally conscious? They can do so with encouragement and support from the local community, parents’ groups, clubs and socially conscious establishments. You and your friends can help your local school take a green leap forward by exercising your persuasive skills to convince the management, parents and students to turn over a new leaf.

Are the products on supermarket shelves marked ‘green’ genuinely green? In a world where consumers are becoming increasingly environment-conscious, there is no dearth of marketers luring unsuspecting shoppers with labels such as “organic, chemical-free, 100 per cent natural, sustainable” or even “vegan”. These tags may appear on a range of goods, from food to cosmetics, and make half-true or often false claims.

Google co-founder Larry Page once said, “You never lose a dream, it just incubates as a hobby,” and that’s exactly what happens to people who pursue a sustainable lifestyle. Just like their lives, their hobbies are also inspired by a desire not to harm the planet, to do things in their free time that do not tax the earth nor leave a carbon footprint. You could call it the art of engaging with the finer, subtler and sometimes mundane side without feeling guilty.

If someone has summed up the meaning of what it feels to keep a garden, it is Victorian poet Alfred Austin. He said, “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” And to his poetic words, allow me to add, a ‘green’ soul that has taken saving nature to heart.

Those environmentally conscious among us are concerned about surface and air pollution, climate change, global warming and several other related issues. But there are also people in this world with a deep love for nature, and have a special place in their hearts for all creatures great and small.

Before you think of buying your next new clothing, stop, evaluate, and reconsider…