The environment is all around us, from the air we breathe to the blades of grass that slip between our toes in the summertime, and it’s imperative that we take care of it. Though this message has been rehashed again and again, the reminder is worth it since so much more can be done to better the health of planet Earth. In fact, Earth Day is less than a month away, landing on a Friday this year. There’s always time to be conscientious of less than environmentally friendly habits.
Three Rs.
Reduce: On the weekly stop to the supermarket, buy products that don’t have as much packaging, or buy in bulk when possible. At home, make an effort to switch to cloths and ceramic plates instead of paper and styrofoam types.
Reuse: After that shopping trip, keep your plastic and paper bags to pack things away at home. Another tip would be to purchase the reusable bags and use them instead of the paper and plastic ones at the register.
Recycle: Paper, glass, plastic and certain aluminum products should always be shifted into a separate pile from waste. A scary fact is that it takes plastic to decompose, on average, 450 years when it could have been reused thousands of different ways in that time period.
Gardening.
In the backyard, front yard, or on the windowsill, gardens of any size promote a healthier atmosphere. In the spring and summer, the verdant greens and vivid pinks, oranges, yellows, and purples of the flowers bring all sorts of creatures forward to create a mini ecosystem. On top of that, plants naturally purify the air and keep dirt and sediment in good condition, all things that have positive impacts on our planet.
If one isn’t a fan of gardening or lacks a green thumb in general, donate to programs and organizations that go out and plant trees, combat deforestation, etc.
Have a “green” house.
Invest in environmentally friendly household appliances, as they consume less energy and last longer, which means they’re worth their costs. It’s very important to turn off the lights and computers before going to bed as well, as leaving them to burn until morning wastes energy and racks up your monthly bill.
Other things to do are: hang your clothes, blankets, sheets, etc. on a clothesline to dry every once in a while; take short showers instead of baths; use rechargeable batteries; and limit the consumption of meat products.
Renewable energy.
Solar panels are more popular than ever and if one can afford them, one should most definitely have them built onto their property. Others forms of renewable energy are water, wind, geothermal, and biofuel which, if they are or can be available, one should promote the use of them in their community.
In the modern world, we must combat the consumption of fossil fuels -- oil, coal and natural gas -- as they are leading causes of global climate change. The warming of planet Earth is a very real issue and through the use of renewable energy, human beings are one step closer to creating a healthier world for the future of our people.
Be an advocate.
As mentioned above, Earth Day falls on Friday, April 22 this year and if you have never participated before, now’s your chance! However, please don’t just be an advocate for Mother Earth on this one day of the year; be an advocate 24/7 on all 365 days in the year (or in the case of 2016 -- 366 days). We are in the midst of a crisis, and if humanity doesn’t take responsibility for their actions soon, it will only get worse.
The Earth is our home and it’s up to us to take care of it. It might take a bit more effort and a lot of change on our parts, but it’s possible. Reducing, reusing, and recycling limit our consumption, making gardens promotes healthier living, purchasing environmentally friendly appliances restricts energy use and investing in renewable energy combats the fossil fuel industry. Even the little things we do in our daily lives can drastically change the future of our world and being an advocate is the only way to ensure that that change is a positive one.
