I saw it every day but never questioned it

Today, something reminded me of one of my schools (I changed schools three times). It was a short video on waste segregation. In that school, I remember seeing two color-coded buckets, green and blue. Honestly, they looked cool, but I never really paid attention to them.

There was writing on them, but at that time, I didn’t understand whether they were there for a real purpose or just to show something our theory-filled books had skipped teaching us. They were too small to actually carry waste, so I assumed they were only there to demonstrate how waste segregation is done.

Now, after so many years, I realise that sustainability is a real thing. Maybe earlier it wasn’t as deep an issue as it is today. Now, it has become alarming, and there’s no better place to talk about it than in my own newsletter.

This memory came back because of a YouTube short that showed what happens behind the scenes to the waste we generate without thinking much about it. It left me thinking all day. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen this reality, though.

I won’t say I was very mindful, but I was aware that our resources are limited and that environmental issues exist. Still, videos that show the real impact of these issues deeply disturb me, and why shouldn’t they? I see a future where nature is dying, and we are polluting our environment without thinking that we’re the ones who will live in it.

I feel ashamed that I’m learning about this properly only now. This should be taught as an important subject in schools.

It’s not that we can’t do anything about it. We all know how one person can start the change that future generations need.

I’ve always been mindful about not throwing waste on roads, though I feel this shouldn’t even need to be mentioned. It feels like an obvious thing. Yet we’ve all seen people ignore it. Sometimes there aren’t enough dustbins, and even when there are, we’re not taught from childhood how to manage our waste properly. That’s why this subject matters.

Honestly, I’m learning about dustbin color codes now and what waste goes where. I read that in Japan, people carry their waste back home. At first, that thought made me uncomfortable. But isn’t that just our mindset? We feel disgusted by our own waste, yet expect someone else to deal with it, someone who didn’t even create it. Though the issue is not just limited to waste.

I also try to be mindful of electricity consumption. I won’t claim I’m perfect. I forget to turn off the lights sometimes, or think, what difference will it make? I even got into an argument with one of my aunts because she believes one person can’t change anything and that I was being dramatic for pointing out unnecessary electricity use.

Around my area, I’ve seen many blue dustbins meant for dry recyclable waste, but hardly any green ones or even red ones. Are we not there yet? In some countries, waste collection services refuse to take garbage if it’s not segregated. The rules are strict, and the results show.

In India, there aren’t strict rules, and many people still don’t know how segregation works. But this isn’t only about rules. It’s about awareness and responsibility.

What happens when people lack awareness? Nature keeps suffering, and eventually, so do we. Isn’t it better to be mindful of our choices, even a little? Is it really that hard to reduce plastic use or generate less waste?

I won’t give tips on saving the environment, because we only act when we truly want to or when the issue becomes real to us. I’m just glad I’ve started understanding these things. That feels like the first step toward making small changes.

I believe small changes by one person can lead to big changes.

What do you believe? Let me know in the comments.