In my days as a young architect, the buzz word was ‘Sustainability’. Each time we made a design, especially during my postgraduate program, the lecturers would ask, “Is it sustainable?”
These days, the trendy phrase is ‘Going Green’.
I remember as a mid-level architect, I was invited to a radio programme to talk on ‘Reducing Carbon Footprint’. This led me to carry out some research to prepare for the radio interview.
So today, I have the task of breaking down what I learnt. Ready?
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What does it mean to ‘go green’? Or to ‘reduce your carbon footprint’? Or to make your design ‘sustainable’?
All of them have one thing in common: the conservation of energy, with a view to saving our planet.
We’ve all heard about climate change and global warming. How we need to preserve the earth and make sure we have it here for long.
Good.
Well, the whole business of ‘going green’ is about conserving energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels (petrol, diesel etc) and increasing dependence on renewable forms of energy (solar power, windmills and even electricity).
Let me break it down.
The basic way to check our carbon footprint is by evaluating the ‘6 Rs’ – Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair.
Read Also: Abnormal. ‘New-normal’?
Rethink
What could be done differently? This is where individuals or organisations begin to explore alternatives with a view to making substitutions. For example, using an electric car instead of a fuel-only car.
Source: wikihow.com
Refuse
Can you refuse to use materials that are not sustainable? Will you add your voice by refusing to use plastic bags and plastic bottled water? Perhaps take your own reusable bags each time to you go shopping for groceries.
Source: wikihow.com
Reduce
Reduce your usage of everything. Conserve water by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth. Cut down on waste by buying food or drinks in reusable containers. Reduce fuel consumption by car pooling, riding bicycles or walking.
Source: wikihow.com
Repair
Can damaged products be repaired instead of thrown away? That old watch, the laptop, the fan. Must you buy a new one yet?
Reuse
Buy food and goods in packages that can be used again. Reuse cardboard boxes to pack stuff, reuse nylon bags as bin bags. Use old tyres as swings. Make toys out of old containers etc. Constantly think of repurposing things.
Source: wikihow.com
Recycle
Submit your old plastic and glass bottles for recycling. Even paper can be recycled. Metals too. Sort them appropriately into the different bins and drop them off at the designated points.
Source: wikihow.com
Whether you choose to do one or all six of the above, please join the train; remembering that each little action is saving our planet.
Can you suggest other ways to perform the 6 Rs? Let’s talk in the comments.
Look out for part 2 of the series where we will discuss how architects can help with sustainability in the design of spaces.
#GoingGreen #Part1 #ReducingYourCarbonFootprint #WhatYouCanDo #SaveThePlanet #BrendaUnu
Brenda Unu is an Architect, accomplished Author and Motivator.
Interesting read!
Thanks for reading.
Car pooling is definitely something to try especially with Lagos traffic. Thank you for this.
Most certainly. My friends and I carpool and it works well. Thanks for reading.
Carpooling is definitely a thing to try especially with the Lagos traffic. Thank you.
This is full of undiluted insight. The “6 Rs” has given me another opportunity to rethink and make things right so as to safe my beautiful planet. Thanks for sharing, Ma’am.
Sustainability is the way to go if we want to leave this place better than we met it or conserve or resources. Great read.
Absolutely! Or else we will find ourselves without a home. A friend wrote a science fiction book about life in 2052. Even though I had to remind myself that it was fiction, it was scary!
Wow. it would really help our world if we can do these things selfessly. Thanks for sharing
You’re right. It would be helpful indeed. We only need to start! In the little ways .
Interesting read.. reuse is something I practice a lot. That use of plastics shopping bags though🙈
Lol @ plastic shopping bags. You know when I went to the UK and first saw this shopping without plastic bags, I thought it would be difficult or near impossible. But they are used to it now. Everyone going to the shops with their bags.
We can get used to it one day. If we only start.
Thanks for joining the conversation.
Interesting and direct writeup. how can this become a reality in Nigeria? We know as a nation going green is a hard to achieve with our current setup. Would be nice to have a few tips on how we can do our own bit?
Thank you for joining the conversation, Tia. We can start in our own little ways in our corners. If each of us reuses, reduces and refuses some choices, it can go a long way.
When we do our bit and teach others to, then together we are saving our planet.
Thank you Brenda for bringing this to the consciousness of many. Many of us have not quite understood what it takes to go green. We do not practice it in our space(s) or advocate for policies in support of this. Even with building, we need to go higher with more storeys so there is more land space for greener projects. Instead we have trees being cut down to build accommodation like bungalows that cannot be justified in the face of a population boom or a metropolitan overcrowding as we see in Lagos . Our oceans are filled with PET bottles and we do not recycle or repurpose items. Single use plastics and Styrofoam packages also need to go. And as for carbon footprint for travellers using aeroplanes, you can offset it with payments to causes that protect the environment.
Great input, Yomi. You make a valid point! I was horrified to see some very old trees in IKOYI being cut down by some contractors who said they wanted to build a road! After a number of calls, it was determined that they had approval from LASpark. Can you believe it??!
We need stringent laws that stop the indiscriminate dumping of pet bottles and styrofoams. In fact do away with them all together!
We need to care enough to make a difference!
Well done Brenda. Your articles are always a joy to read
Interesting piece, good to know advice.
A very nice piece…. but one thing i know for sure, action is best a thousand times than words. If we do our individual tiny bit efforts starting from our door step, we will all achieve this goal.
Again i re-echo our writers 6 r’s ” Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair”
I go shopping with my reusable bag, didn’t think it was going green-simply hated those nylon bags which can cause roach buildup🤕.
The ‘
R’ I struggle with is repair, once an appliance gets faulty, I’d rather throw away than repair cos it’s almost never as good as new again🙈
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