Green Practices
Environmental protection ensures sustainable human development. Clean energy supports pure water and clean skies. Going green can also save money. The Pure Water Project thus supports the adoption of green principles, which will depend on an individual’s location and home type, and may include:
- Using insulation with solar and water heat combinations for home heating.
- Using solar, wind or water driven pumps; using hand crank radios, or other hand crank small electronic devices (no batteries means no battery waste).
- Using pressure cookers and/or solar cookers.
- Using woodstoves in lieu of open fires, (burns less wood), or using biogas stoves (saves wood) – note that wood efficiency measures support minimizing soil erosion (which can lead to floods, desertification and poverty).
- Saving electricity – through using less; using electricity saving bulbs; using natural light and natural ventilation; using/purchasing appliances selectively; using / purchasing energy efficient appliances, using/purchasing multipurpose appliances.
- Use clean energy, when possible.
- Reducing consumption – go for quality, not quantity. Reuse and recycle as appropriate.
- Reducing waste and pollution through minimal packaging and processing, materials that are natural, biodegradable or recycled; buy items in bulk, buy items that have been minimally processed or unprocessed, buy items that are all natural and/or organic; use earth friendly cleaning products and earth friendly paper products; buy local produce, or fair trade products, when possible.
- Use public transport or shared transport, when possible / appropriate. Use energy efficient or energy conscious transportation, when possible.
Creating pure place in the home and in the community supports mindfulness of the environment. Some ways to do this include:
- Adopt clean designs
- Clean regularly
- Create sacred space
- Make it beautiful – offer beauty through art or flowers
- Walk lightly
- Be contained
- Be respectful