Earth is our home. It takes care of us, nourishes us, provides us with the air and nutrients we need to survive. So shouldn't it be our responsibility to take care of it back?
With so many shifts in climate and the undeniable increase in worldwide natural disasters, it may often seem like there is very little we can do to help. When in fact, just a few small changes in our everyday lives can make quite a large impact.
Here are 6 simple ways you can make help make a positive impact on the planet:
1. Choose Sustainable Brands
Finding sustainably-minded brands can be difficult, but not impossible. Today, more and more brands are making this shift to operating sustainably; Everything from the sourcing of ingredients and green packaging solutions, to labor and efficient energy operations. Supporting these brands and their green efforts helps support a cleaner, brighter future.
2. Recycle
Recycling is one of the biggest ways we can reduce our carbon footprint and protect our home. But let’s be honest: Recycling can be pretty confusing if you don't know what you're doing. Thankfully, resources such as Earday.org exist to help spread education, awareness, and prove that recycling is actually quite simple!
Tip: Anything smaller than a credit card shouldn't be recycled, as these may actually cause jams in the recycling equipment. These include: straws, bottle caps, paperclips, etc.
3. Save Energy
Most people don't realize just how much energy we use just going about our day-to-day activities (hint: its quite a lot). In fact, water and electricity account for a large majority of the energy used and can easily be cut back on by following a few simple guidelines:
- Decrease shower times
- Unplug anything that isn't being used
- Let your dishwasher to the dish-washing
- Turn off the lights when not needed
Just think - You'll be helping save the planet AND saving a few bucks, too!
4. Go Paperless
Millions of acres of trees are lost each year - Trees that provide oxygen, a home for animals, and more. Thankfully, the rise of the digital era has made a positive influence on paperless services (i.e., digital restaurant menus, bills, etc.). More and more businesses are offering the option to "go paperless", and by opting in to paperless services you might literally be "saving a tree".
5. Drive Less
Gas prices are already high enough, so why not finding an alterantive? Try hopping on a bike, or walking to a close destination if you can. Not to mention that there are so many great carpooling services now, there’s really no reason why we shouldn’t be taking advantage of them.
6. Think Before You Eat and Drink
It is estimated that 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year [1], which is unfortunately ingested by about 90% of all sea creatures at some point in their lifetime (seabirds and turtles included) [2].
Items such as straws, snack bags, and even cups are all products that do immense harm to our planet. Thankfully, many businesses are making the switch and offering alternatives to do their part in going green. Rather than spending your money on "single-use" items, invest in some good reusable containers, water bottles, and even large grocery bags (which are truthfully much easier to handle than 100+ small plastic grocery bags).
Imagine what could happen if everyone made just one small change each day... the impact is bigger than you know!
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REFERENCES
[1] B.V., Tembo Paper. “Plastic Straws and the Environment: What Is the Impact?” Tembo Paper, 8 Oct. 2021, https://www.tembopaper.com/news/plastic-straws-and-the-environment-what-is-the-impact.
[2 ]World Wildlife Fund Team. “A Small Straw's Big Environmental Impact.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, June 2018, https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2018/articles/a-small-straw-s-big-environmental-impact.
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