On Fathers Day, a reminder that dads can be the ultimate captain Planet

Every 90’s kid remembers the animation series called Captain Planet, where this red, blue and green coloured man saved us from dreaded pollution. Though, a lot may associate moms as being beacons for sustainability, I’m here to tell you that our dads are no less than captain Planet. Here are a few things that our dads have subtly and not so subtly taught us that actually make us more eco-friendly human beings.

Respect Mother Nature!

Dads love the outdoors or at least pretend to for their kid’s sake. They are the ones who take us for our very first hike in the forest or stroll around the city’s botanical park/garden. They introduce us to the flora growing around us. The words “don’t pluck the leaves!” and “you wanna climb that tree?” are the foundation stones placed by them for us to appreciate nature rather than treat it with disrespect. How many of us had dads who insisted we take a really hard look at those amazing natural wonders which we somehow found ‘boring’? So, the next time you are enjoying nature at its best, thank your dad for instilling the respect in the first place.

Switch Off The Lights

 Every kid has gotten a lecture from their fathers about the electricity bill and how they should always remember to switch off the lights once they leave the room. While, many of us associate this with dads being the proverbial Indian stingy man, this nature of theirs actually has a positive impact on the environment. Switching off the lights reduce carbon emissions and in turn reduces the individuals carbon footprint. In short, remember to switch off the lights next time you leave the room!

Don’t Be Afraid of Animals, Respect Them

 Dads have always taught us not be afraid of animals, “don’t’ worry he’s probably more afraid of you” a line we’ve heard every time we encounter a species not of our own kind. But, not being afraid doesn’t mean we need to harm them is a concept imparted to us by our fathers. The “just leave the animal alone and let it do its own thing” attitude actually teaches one to coexist with our fellow co-inhabitants.

The Art Of Buying Vegetables

 While buying vegetables is mostly associated with women (because that’s how sexist society can get), our dads actually love buying vegetables or at least love harassing the vendor for fresh produce. If you’ve ever been vegetable or fruit shopping with your father you’ll notice how closely he inspects the vegetables and questions its source from the local vendor then it escalates to him claiming he knows it has pesticides and ultimately drops down to haggling about the price if he deems the quality is alright. This step-by-step breakdown of buying vegetables is what actually teaches us unconsciously about being educated consumers (minus the price haggling part of course). Usage of pesticides and other chemicals is one of the biggest problems faced by us nowadays and the ability to become more conscious consumers will not only help us in identifying the right produce for ourselves but will encourage the government to take steps to ensure these chemicals are not used; as they say the market is driven by the consumer.

The Facts of Life

Dads in India may not be around to tell you about the birds and the bees, but when it comes to the facts of life like the amount of struggle involved in putting the plate of food on your plate, or an exposure to the realities of life for the less privileged, they can be really persistent. Even the richest dads seem to take a pleasure in ensuring their kids are ‘exposed’ to the ‘facts’, and in doing so, they actually hope to make their kids empathise better with others, besides being more conscious of the resources they use too. Be it use of public transport, less wastage or more, these are very sustainable moves indeed.

So this father’s day think about what you might have learnt or subconsciously picked up from your dad, that makes you more eco-friendly and most importantly don’t forget to wish him.

copyright:imarenew.com