World Consumer Rights Day 2025
Every year 15th March is celebrated as World Consumer Rights Day. The goal of this day is to increase public awareness of the demands and rights of consumers worldwide. The theme for 2025 is ‘A just transition to sustainable lifestyles’ which is the need of the hour. We are living at a time when pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change and health crisis is looming large. This is just the right time for a wake-up call for all and increase awareness and engage with consumers globally to adopt and promote sustainable practices.
What is Sustainable Lifestyle?
Sustainable lifestyle is one of the most desired and popular lifestyle choices. It includes understanding lifestyle choices and how it impacts the nature and environment around us. However, it requires collective effort to minimize environmental degradation and carbon footprint while supporting equitable socio-economic development and better quality of life. Our everyday choices, our work and lives are intrinsically dependent upon the natural environment on what we eat, how we manage our waste, how we commute, how we use our appliances etc. Environmental degradation and climate change is already affecting our lives in ways more than one. The sustainable and healthy choices we make today will help our future generations.
How you can make sustainable lifestyle choices
Mind what you eat
Choose locally produced foods and opt for plant based diets and reduce the threat of loss of biodiversity. This will help reduce carbon footprint and habitat destruction. Shifting to locally produced, vegetable friendly diet will also improve one’s health. You should also take care to prevent food waste with smart, and planned shopping and making sure to consume what you purchase.
Travel
Almost 95 percent of world’s transport is fossil fuel powered and the transport sector contributes to 23 percent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Road transport, relying on petrol and diesel for 95 percent of its energy needs, is India’s largest oil consumer, constituting 44 percent of total consumption in 2021. Reaching carbon neutrality before 2070 requires the deep decarbonization of this sector. Use public transport and include shared transport like car pools for office and school, use cycles, and best walk wherever you can. This not only will help reduce pollution but also improve your lifestyle as walking and cycling are very important exercises for leading a healthy lifestyle. The air pollution levels in India are among the highest in the world, posing a heavy threat to the country’s health and economy. All of India’s 1.4 billion people are exposed to unhealthy levels of ambient PM 2.5 – the most harmful pollutant – emanating from multiple sources.
Conserve energy
Reduce use of electricity at home that lowers not only carbon emission but also money. Switch off lights, fans and appliances when not in use. Use of LED bulbs will reduce consumption of electricity. Many states in India are adopting solar power to meet energy needs. Solar power leads the way with 92.12 GW, playing a crucial role in India’s efforts to harness its abundant sunlight. Wind power follows closely with 47.72 GW, driven by the vast potential of the coastal and inland wind corridors across the country.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Avoid use of single use plastics and many stores in several cities in India have a drop off location for plastic bags. Reuse soda cans, glass jars, old clothes, paper products and recyclabale plastic bags to reduce waste. Upcycle products and use your locality’s upcycling program to do so.