LIFE AS IT IS

G rowing up, a nicely folded-ironed handkerchief was one of the things I carried to school daily. I always saw my mother carry one in her purse, too. Those were the days when we lived simple lives. Our lives might have been simple, but it was because of the simple ways of living that we used to leave fewer carbon footprints in the environment.   Then times changed, I grew up, and hankies were replaced by disposable tissues. However, I have recently picked up handkerchief for use again. I knew I had one from my wedding day; it was bought because my mother wanted me to carry an embroidered hankie in my wedding purse. I rummaged around old things one Friday morning, and voila! it was there.  Hankies are things from yesteryears. As a result, you do not find them at stores any more. I looked up online and found some vintage hankies whose prices were as high as $20 a piece. Then I came across an American fashion label for women that was selling a set of four handkerchiefs for a w...

#paintingdiaries #watercolor 🌱 It’s time to plant a tree, a tree. What shall it be? What shall it be? Let’s plant a pine—we can’t go wrong: a pine is green the whole year long. Let’s plant a maple—more than one, to shade us from the summer sun. Let’s plant a cherry—you know why: there’s nothing like a cherry pie! Let’s plant an elm, the tree of grace, where robins find a nesting place. Let’s plant an apple—not too small, with flowers in spring and fruit in fall. Let’s plant a fir—so it can be a lighted outdoor Christmas tree. Let’s plant a birch, an oak, a beech, there’s something extra-nice in each… in winter, summer, spring or fall. Let’s plant a … why not plant them ALL? (This is a children’s poem by Aileen Fisher)

You probably have a favourite cotton T-shirt or a dress that you have worn for years. I certainly do. I have cotton T-shirts that are six or seven years old, which went through more than one hundred washes and still hold up really well. The secret is in their fabric, which is a natural fibre that grows on the cotton plant.  The Daily Star link Today, marketplaces overflow with synthetic fabrics — nylon, polyester, acrylic, and rayon. Why? Because they are low-cost, wrinkle-free, and generally, more durable than natural fabrics like cotton, silk, wool, or linen. But all synthetic fabrics are just different forms of plastic. To cater to consumers’ demand for cheap apparel, fashion houses and fast fashion retailers around the world produce clothes that are low-priced, but have detrimental effects on our health and environment. NAY TO SYNTHETIC FABRICS The production of synthetic fabrics results in serious environmental damages — from water and air pollution during the long...

You may find it hard to believe but a plastic bottle takes anywhere between 100 and 1000+ years to degrade, with an average degradation time of 450 years! Does this piece of information interest you in using less of plastic and more of environment-friendly substitutes? If yes, then you are treading the right path, because it is never late to start saving our environment.  There are innumerable ways to limit the use of plastic in your daily life. Some people may stare, tease or make fun of you at times, but remember that those are the ones who are not equipped with the right kind of knowledge.  Take your own bag:  When you go shopping, be it for books, shoes, clothes or groceries, carry your own sturdy, reusable bag, preferably something made from cotton or jute.  Carry your water bottle:  Instead of purchasing a bottle of water when you are thirsty, carry your own water in a bottle or flask made of glass or stainless steel when you leave h...