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Over the last decade, Bangladesh has experienced drastic economic growth. We are now recognized as a developing nation where poverty rates have dropped significantly; a noteworthy achievement. However, with rapid urbanization and industrialization comes adverse effects; for instance, environmental degradation. Dhaka keeps coming out on top in the list of most polluted cities in the world – which surely, doesn’t make us look good on the map. Fortunately, we are becoming more aware of the conditions we are living in and we are taking steps to overcome this issue. Read below to know about the ways our nation is on its way to becoming greener by producing eco friendly products and eco friendly materials.

Producing eco-friendly bricks

Greenery
We now produce eco-friendly materials, for instance, concrete blocks!

The conventional method of manufacturing bricks is very harmful to the environment. Hence, House Building Research Institute (HSBI) has been researching for over 40 years a substitute way of manufacturing bricks. Now, a total of 30 businesses have started using the production method that the institute came up with. The Bangladesh Brick Manufacturing Owners Association have come up with horrifying data showing that around 7,000 soil-burning brick kilns produce around 23 billion bricks every year that consumes over around 1.27 billion cubic feet of topsoil. For a country like Bangladesh that is already prone to natural disasters, such as flooding, and whose economy heavily depends on its agricultural production, this is alarming.

HSBI promotes the use of concrete blocks instead. Moreover, none of their methods of manufacturing includes clay-rich topsoil. The concrete blocks are made from soil dredged from sand, cement, iron-netting and from the bottom of the river. What’s astonishing is how the company produced 25 kinds of concrete blocks WITHOUT using clay-rich topsoil. Currently, HSBI is training factory workers in the methods of using eco-friendly technologies so that they too can produce materials that are eco-friendly.

Green architecture

A few leaves
Green practices does not only mean producing eco-friendly products; it’s a way of life

The progress we have made regarding economic growth cannot be sustained if we don’t have a hold on our environmental situation. Taking small steps that promote green-everything is a start, though. Many companies and houses are taking up green architecture (because very little change matters, right?) and raising awareness in ways that we can’t comprehend.

For instance, everyone knows about the Cityscape Tower; probably because we go to the North end there to grab coffee. However, this building has a self-sustaining water and power supply. This reduces water wastage by 60% and saves electricity by 40%. Maybe we can’t change the infrastructure of our city overnight. However, that should not stop us from taking the first step. Moreover, more buildings are using biophilic elements in their interior, adding more plants in the design and doing what they can in order to make their living space/working space a little greener than usual.

Green banking

Soil and a bulb
Using eco-friendly materials is going to be the future

More banks are now taking green initiatives by giving customers the option for green banking such as building apps and promoting online banking. This basically means minimizing the use of paper by using e-statements, and with e-mail interaction instead of meeting face-to-face. Thus, minimizing interaction and ensuring minimum resources wasted. Not only are we producing eco-friendly products, we are providing services that is promoting green practices!

Manufacturing clothes in eco-friendly ways

Greenery
Manufacturing eco-friendly products is what’s going to put us up on the map in the near future

Our nation is known worldwide for being the second largest exporter and clothing producer after China. We have around 67 garments factories already that have Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certificates. Additionally, 220 garments factories are on their way to getting certified! We are not only ensuring green practices this way; the workers in various small shops in various rural areas use natural dye over bottled ones.  Hence, using eco-friendly products and using eco-friendly materials.

We are constantly adopting cleaner and greener technologies for environmental sustainability. What are some of the green practices you do on a regular basis? Let us know in the comments section below!

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