With damage that we put our lovely mother nature through, we should not have an Earth day, but rather an Earth month, though at least a week, to compensate for all that we’ve done. Taking an initiative to better our environment should be existent in our every day lives, but for now, baby steps. We will start small with easy steps that you can incorporate into your routine to ensure better treatment of the environment. Which in turn, will only result in better conditions for your grand kids, and eventually their kids to live under. Be kind to our Earth, it’s the only one we have:
1. Buy a re-usable water bottle: According to the Huffington Post, there are 50 billion bottles of water consumed every year, 30 billion of which are consumed in the United States. It takes 17 million barrels of oil every year to produce all of those water bottles. Water bottles do not ever fully biodegrade, but rather photodegrade, meaning they break down into smaller fragments, which then pollute our water, soil, and animals, which we later consume. Water bottles and plastic bags make up the biggest source of pollution in our oceans and on our beaches, which can later be mistaken for food by sea animals. Given heat, and refilling plastic bottles, it is actually more damaging to our health. As the plastic leaks into the water, it can cause reproductive issues and even lead to cancer. Using a reusable water bottle reduces our carbon footprint, is more cost effective than purchasing bottled water, better for your health (BPA and lead-free), and can be stylish- purchase a bottle with a cute print, or a fun Spring color!
2. Re-usable bags: Say good-bye to plastic when you go grocery shopping, and say hello to the cute re-usable bags. According to reusethisbag.com, It takes approximately 12 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic bags the U.S uses each year. A plastic bag takes 15 to 1000 years to decompose. Re-usable bags come in fun prints, you can even find some that benefit charity.
3. Try your hand at gardening: You help heal the soil and produce healthy plants on your land, all while eliminating toxic substances. Planting trees is a way to leave your mark long-term, providing shade and clean air years down the line. Start small with one plant and experiment between different fruits and vegetables to find what works for you, and what you have room for in your yard, or now your new garden.
4. Go vegan: Just by going vegan you can help change the world in many ways. According to vegnews, going vegan combats world hunger, clears the air, saves water, conserves energy, and protects our soil. Not only will the earth reap the benefits from a simple lifestyle change, but so will your body, mind, and energy level!
5. Recycle: It’s that simple. Stop throwing out newspapers, magazines, and bottles. Just because there may not be a recycling bin within sight, save your recyclables and find a bin when you’ve collected a bag (but don’t become a hoarder)!
6. Turn off appliances when they’re not in use: Turn off your computer at the end of the day, turn off the lights when you leave the room, unplug chargers and appliances when they’re not in use. It’s just like mom used to tell you. Not only does it conserves energy, but it also saves money on your electric bill!
7. Walk or Bike as much as you can: Realistically, you don’t need to drive to the bank that’s around the block. It’ll be good for you to get some air and some extra steps in. Plus, the original point of the trip was to save money, not to spend it unnecessarily on gas!
8. Go paperless: Pay your bills online instead of receiving a bill in the mail- it’s faster and impossible to get lost in the mail. Opt for reading the paper on the internet, or on your tablet or phone.
9. Get your friends involved: Plan a day when you all can do errands together, and walk to the stores if you can, if not, carpool! Plant together, or plan a day to cleanup your neighborhood- it’s a fun way to get together with your friends while giving back to your community, and the earth.