INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario, the world is corrupted by pollution and a toxic amount of material, so everyone wants to live free of all the toxic things. In the other words, Going Green is the current new mantra where protecting nature is a priority. Living eco-friendly doesn’t only mean to re-use, recycle and reduce waste disposal in their lives, it also means that the person needs to be open to change, have the willingness to make new choices, and a positive attitude towards the environment.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
Environment and life are interrelated. The existence of life on earth depends upon the harmonious relationship between ecosystem and environment. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 defines environment as “environment includes water, air and land and the interrelationship which exists among and between air, water and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism, and property”. Given the close interdependence of humans and the environment, in India alone, 70% of the population directly depends on land-based occupations, forests, and wetlands, for basic subsistence requirements concerning water, food, housing, and medicine as for ecological livelihoods and cultural sustenance. As per Article 51-A (g), “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”. So, it is important for us as human beings to recognize our dependence on the earth’s natural resources and as a result protect the environment in every best possible way one can. And for a person, one of the most effective and efficient ways is to be eco-friendly.
BENEFITS OF BEING ECO-FRIENDLY
In recent times, the term ‘Eco-Friendly’ is used so often that it can hard to understand the importance of an eco-friendly lifestyle and there’s a greater risk of being misled by the companies claiming to be conscious of the environment. Unfortunately, there is no regulation on the use of the term, which restricts its credibility. Living an eco-friendly lifestyle ensures that you lead a healthier life. Moreover, it helps in re-examining your choices and brings more awareness to your life and provides feedback to live more aligned with your values and needs. An eco-friendly living is, obviously, beneficial for the earth but besides that, it will guide an individual’s decision-making process and will have some surprising benefits for him/her too.
HOW CAN A PERSON BE ECO-FRIENDLY?
An eco-friendly lifestyle means living a life that is environmentally friendly where everyone works toward protecting and conserving nature and polluting less while reducing the carbon footprint. By this, you all might be wondering that living an eco-friendly life is very difficult and hard to follow. But to be eco-friendly all that a person needs to do is to be conscious about the environment and use the natural resources carefully. An eco-friendly person can also relate himself to the word ‘sustainable’ and ‘sustainability’. It is generally referred to as the practice of making sure we don’t deplete the natural resources while maintaining a prospering economy for future generations. So, it is clear to see that being eco-friendly is much more than making a few informed purchase decisions. It is a positive step towards living more authentically and on our own terms.
LEGAL BACKGROUND
In our constitution, the status of environmental protection has not only raised to the fundamental law of the land but also in recent past it is corresponded with human rights and is now accepted as a well-established fact that it is the basic human right to every citizen of India. Article 21 of the constitution imposes a duty on individuals to protect the environment in order to provide each and every human a clean environment and a life with dignity and harmony. In other words, article 21 provides for the fundamental right of life as it states that ‘no person shall be deprived of his right to life or personal liberty except in accordance with procedures established by law’. Article 21 has received liberal interpretation from time to time after the decision of the Supreme Court in Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India, (AIR 1978 SC 597) for example, in L.K Koolwal v. State of Rajasthan and Ors, Rajasthan High Court held that maintaining the quality of the environment, sanitation and health is covered under the purview of Article 21 of the Constitution. Moreover, In Charan Lal Sahu v. Union of India, it was held that it is the duty of the state to take adequate and effective steps for the enforcement and protection of Constitutional rights guaranteed under Article 21, 48-A, and 51-A(g). Such wide interpretations of Article 21 and other provisions over the years have become the bedrock of environmental jurisprudence and served the cause of protection of India’s environment.
Conclusion
Since time immemorial, the world has evolved into a global village where pollution, disaster, and diseases have spread to a maximum range. These issues have grown to a much greater extent however the concept of eco-friendly or going eco-friendly has progressed. Going green is an excellent way of contributing to the environmental conversation. Natural resources such as air, water, and land are fundamental to all life forms: they are much more than money and economic infrastructure, the base of our survival. As an exploiter of mother nature, we owe a responsibility to earth to protect its environment from disastrous events. Therefore, it is very important to live an eco-friendly lifestyle and educate others about the same. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to address the fact that those who pollute or destroy the natural environment are just to committing a crime against nature, but are violating human rights as well and formulate the relating to that.
REFERENCES
https://brikolite.com/living-eco-friendly-lifestyle/
http://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-3906-constitutional-provisions-for-protection-of-environment.html
https://pib.gov.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=105411
Image Source
Author: Vibhor Jain, Government Law College, Mumbai