Happy Earth Day! Going Green

We have been doing it right for centuries...

1.When there is a mass gathering, be it marriage or funeral, we use banana leaves to serve food - saving land fill and feeding cattle

2.We had designated our own left and right hands - saving paper and plastic

3.Tender coconut was our primary thirst quencher - only if we had invented ways to add flavor and fizz to this natural soft drink

4.We used oil for setting, sikkakai for cleaning, even soap kottai for froth, kadalai maavu/pachai payaru for cleaning -
- only if we had invented ways to add natural scents and pooled in stars for advertising

5.We used just cotton for summer, wool for winter and silk for celeberations

6.We use flowers and rice for blessing and celeberations - not confetti

7.We made bio-degradable marapaachi dolls and choppu - only if we had shaped it up and marketed as 'Barbie'

8.We Still use 'kal chatti' and 'mann chatti' for cooking and storing

9.We still build olai veedu and ottu veedu

10. We even made natural dyes, eye-liners and a whole range of cosmetics

In an age old civilization, we have been doing it right for centuries. 'Bio-degradability' and 'minimzing waste' seemed to have been the agenda for the way of life.
I am not against technological advancements and modernization. But, over the years, we could have spent a fraction of our focus on modernizing our own roots than frantically running to catch up with westernization!

btw, an interesting read on 'why Indians eat with hand'
'Food' is a treat not just to the stomach, but to all our senses - Good Food, is a perfect blend of color, taste, smell and texture served sizzling hot('served sizzling hot' is my addendum - I forgot how it is a treat to the ears).