Ecological footprint - Essay Example

This course was quite informative, quite an eye opening one which made me think of changing my habits, step by step, in such a way that I can track the intensity of environmental hazards I posed. Also, this course helped me change my habits to a large extent so that I can become a responsible global citizen considerate of the environment. This paper is an attempt to describe the step-by-step process of how I managed to make constructive choices in life and how I`m an environmentally responsible citizen now, however, the process is an ongoing one.

The first chapter included the analysis of one the products of everyday use in our households. Ariel was the detergent which was being used for ages back at my home, and on conducting the background check of the product on the instructions of my advisor I came across astonishing facts about the product. It contained bleach, colorants, and brighteners and perfumes which biodegrade in such a way that it the chemicals are unhealthy for our skin as well as for the environment. Thus, I looked up for the environment friendly products and came across some of the home made recipes to produce detergents, also brands like Biokleen liquid and Clear Laundry Detergent are great products which give good results at the same time are environment friendly. . After this activity, my personal interest in the field was enhanced and as the course proceeded I even became aware of the concept of recycling.

Thus, I started engaging myself in recycling all the products and using them again wherever I can, instead of using new ones. For instance, I began recycling my clothes and even began purchasing vintage clothes to contribute positively for the environment. With time, I also switched to eco-friendly bio-bags for grocery shopping and developed a habit of carrying my own bag while shopping. This turned out to be an inspiration for others as well which encouraged me to take a stand and place bio-bags in some of the nearby stores I had access to, to promote the concept.

Also, I switched to recycled paper to save planet earth and also began recycling any kind of paper I had. With time, when I talked to other friends around at school, I discovered that energy is a huge issue in many different states around the world, thus, conserving energy is also a crucial part of the process. I found out that many of my Asian friends doesn’t have access to electricity and clean water readily back at their home towns, thus I realized that energy is also a finite resource which should be conserved.

Thus, this inspired me to conserve the rain water which I started collecting in buckets every time it rained. This water was then used to clean my Porsche and my car; also I installed water saving devices along with the taps that were being used in my residence. Also, I started using indigenous plants in my garden so that water consumption is reduced to the maximum extent possible. The next was my realization related to the effects of chemicals on the environment, as these products break