Earth Day - Why Not Make Every Day Earth Day?
Earth Day comes around every year in April.
It's a day when all attention turns to the environment and what we can do to make this a better and healthier planet to live in.
But, why should we do this only on one day of the year? Let's face it, with the damage we've done over the centuries to this beautiful planet of ours, it needs all the help it can get to not only get back to the clean, healthy place we originally inhabited but to even survive.
So, here are a few things we can do each and every day to help make the Earth a greener, healthier and safer place, and, hopefully, we're not too late to make it a place that will be around for future generations to enjoy and wonder at.
You Can Start Small They say giant oaks from little acorns grow.
Well, we can use that same analogy for the environment and conservation, because you don't have to make some kind of grand gesture to make a difference.
If you're in the habit of throwing things away without giving it a second thought, why not take a look at what it is you're about to throw away and check to see if it's something that can be recycled? That way, instead of going to our already overfilled landfills, the item you were about to throw away can be converted to something else to be reused by someone else at another time.
For example, that sheet of paper you were about to throw away can be sent to a recycling plant and turned into pulp before being converted to new paper products such as cardboard, tissue, etc.
Leave The Car At Home In the U.
S.
, most people are so accustomed to jumping in their car to go somewhere - even if it's just around the corner! - that they hardly ever give a second thought to the fact that they may have other options.
This is definitely a car-centric society, and the car is such an integral part of the fabric of U.
S.
society that most other transportation options are given very little credence.
And, while it's true that public transportation in the U.
S.
lags well behind what's available in Europe and other parts of the world, it's nevertheless a viable option in most parts of the U.
S.
If you do decide to take public transportation, you'll need to plan ahead and allow yourself extra time to complete your journey (I can attest to that from personal experience - it took me over an hour and 2 bus transfers to complete the 5 mile journey from my home to work; that same journey took about 10-15 minutes by car).
But, with a bit of forward-planning and patience, you'll get to your destination, probably feeling more refreshed and alert than you'd normally feel, and with the satisfaction of knowing that you reduced your carbon footprint and did your part to help the environment.
Another option is to jump on your bicycle, if you have one, and ride to work, not only helping the environment but getting some exercise in into the bargain.
Just stay alert and be aware of other road users and you'll get there safe and sound and with a good workout under your belt.
Of course, if neither of those options is a possibility, how about checking with a co-worker to see if car-pooling is feasible? If not, there are online services available that match people willing to carpool with like-minded individuals, so jump on the computer and see what's available.
Reduce Your Energy Usage Take a look around your home and see the number of potential energy saving measures you could take.
If you need to use major appliances, try doing so in the evening when rates are lower.
Do you wash your dishes in a dishwasher? Instead, run some hot water in the sink or a bowl and wash the dishes by hand - a bit more effort but potentially big savings on your energy bill.
Wash full loads of clothes, then hang them out to dry the next day.
These are a few things you can do to do your part to contribute to making Earth Day a success.
But, why stop there? There are many opportunities for you to reduce your carbon footprint if you think about it and make a conscious effort to make changes.
Then.
keep it going and turn a single day event into a lifetime's habits by making every day Earth Day.
It's a day when all attention turns to the environment and what we can do to make this a better and healthier planet to live in.
But, why should we do this only on one day of the year? Let's face it, with the damage we've done over the centuries to this beautiful planet of ours, it needs all the help it can get to not only get back to the clean, healthy place we originally inhabited but to even survive.
So, here are a few things we can do each and every day to help make the Earth a greener, healthier and safer place, and, hopefully, we're not too late to make it a place that will be around for future generations to enjoy and wonder at.
You Can Start Small They say giant oaks from little acorns grow.
Well, we can use that same analogy for the environment and conservation, because you don't have to make some kind of grand gesture to make a difference.
If you're in the habit of throwing things away without giving it a second thought, why not take a look at what it is you're about to throw away and check to see if it's something that can be recycled? That way, instead of going to our already overfilled landfills, the item you were about to throw away can be converted to something else to be reused by someone else at another time.
For example, that sheet of paper you were about to throw away can be sent to a recycling plant and turned into pulp before being converted to new paper products such as cardboard, tissue, etc.
Leave The Car At Home In the U.
S.
, most people are so accustomed to jumping in their car to go somewhere - even if it's just around the corner! - that they hardly ever give a second thought to the fact that they may have other options.
This is definitely a car-centric society, and the car is such an integral part of the fabric of U.
S.
society that most other transportation options are given very little credence.
And, while it's true that public transportation in the U.
S.
lags well behind what's available in Europe and other parts of the world, it's nevertheless a viable option in most parts of the U.
S.
If you do decide to take public transportation, you'll need to plan ahead and allow yourself extra time to complete your journey (I can attest to that from personal experience - it took me over an hour and 2 bus transfers to complete the 5 mile journey from my home to work; that same journey took about 10-15 minutes by car).
But, with a bit of forward-planning and patience, you'll get to your destination, probably feeling more refreshed and alert than you'd normally feel, and with the satisfaction of knowing that you reduced your carbon footprint and did your part to help the environment.
Another option is to jump on your bicycle, if you have one, and ride to work, not only helping the environment but getting some exercise in into the bargain.
Just stay alert and be aware of other road users and you'll get there safe and sound and with a good workout under your belt.
Of course, if neither of those options is a possibility, how about checking with a co-worker to see if car-pooling is feasible? If not, there are online services available that match people willing to carpool with like-minded individuals, so jump on the computer and see what's available.
Reduce Your Energy Usage Take a look around your home and see the number of potential energy saving measures you could take.
If you need to use major appliances, try doing so in the evening when rates are lower.
Do you wash your dishes in a dishwasher? Instead, run some hot water in the sink or a bowl and wash the dishes by hand - a bit more effort but potentially big savings on your energy bill.
Wash full loads of clothes, then hang them out to dry the next day.
These are a few things you can do to do your part to contribute to making Earth Day a success.
But, why stop there? There are many opportunities for you to reduce your carbon footprint if you think about it and make a conscious effort to make changes.
Then.
keep it going and turn a single day event into a lifetime's habits by making every day Earth Day.
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