I received an interesting (and informative!) little brochure in the mail the other day from the World Wildlife Fund. Thought I’d pass it along. There are some good (and very simple) ideas in here. I’ve also included a little personal note/tip with each.
10 Simple Things YOU Can Do to Help PROTECT the Earth
1. Put on a Sweater
Remember, when you turn up the heat in the wintertime your furnace is probably burning fossil fuels. A sweater or a nice warm robe will keep you even warmer and will help conserve resources and reduce climate change.
‘lil note: Also a good money saver…the heating bill can get pretty steep in this cold Boston winter! I recently purchased a great “snuggie-like” blanket for my couch. It’s amazing.
2. Put one foot in front of the other
100 years ago, 99.9% of people got by without cars. They took the train, they lived near their workplaces…and they walked. Using fuel-efficiente cars is important, but we can save even more fuel by simply driving less.
‘lil note: Another good money-saver! And, who wants to deal with the headache of parking in a city? Not I.
3. Go for Seconds
Recycling doesn’t only mean separating your cans and bottles. It can mean using things a second (or third) time. That nice padded envelope you got in the mail, for example? Instead of throwing it away, scratch out the address, tear off the stamps and use it again.
‘lil note: Two great things to reuse: tin foil and plastic zip-lock bags. You can rinse both these things off and use them multiple times. Also it’s always better to bring lunch to work in tupperware than disposable items. Don’t forget, giving used clothes and home goods to Goodwill rather than junking them is another form of recycling.
4. Watch your Waste
Items you may be throwing away can contaminate the soil and water for thousands or millions of years. Your community probably has specific disposal procedures for things like used oil and batteries. Ink cartridges can probably be recycled where you bought them. And many of the new super-efficient light bulbs contain mercury, so proper disposal is cruicial. Check with the story where you buy them.
‘lil note: I’ve got nothing for this one.
5. Paper nor Plastic
Bring your bags with you! By taking reusable bags to the grocery store, you can cut down on the 350 bags the average American uses each year, and reduce needless death to marine life caused by plastic bags that end up in streams, rivers an oceans.
‘lil note: This is SO easy. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do it. Not only are reusable bags better for the environment, but they can hold a lot more than the plastic ones, so you can avoid any “Home Alone” style accidents. Come on…you know what I’m talking about.
6. BYOB
Last year Americans went through about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Fill up a reusable water bottle at home and bring it with you. Don’t like the taste of tap water? Buy a filter! (Remember, much of the bottled water sold today is filtered tap water, anyway…)
‘lil note: Another very easy and obvious one. Plus, it’s also a money saver! Those plastic bottles of water can add up fast.
7. Flip ‘em Off
In much of America, we can’t even see the stars anymore, due in part to all the electric lights. Keep the light on in the room you’re in, but keep the rest of your house dark. You’ll find the dark is soothing.
‘lil note: Plus, it saves on the electric bill. I feel the same way about shutting down your computer. Why should it be on all night if you’re not using it?
8. Get in Touch with Your Roots
Plant a tree! Good for the soil, good for the birds, good for reducing climate change – and good for the air you’re breathing!
‘lil note: Don’t have much for this one either. Not all of us can plant trees on a whim, especially living in the city. But, you can plant a little garden if you have a balcony. I planted some tomatoes last summer and had fresh (and free) organic tomatoes all summer long!
9. Get off
Catalogs are great when they’re from companies you like to order from. But if you’re getting catalogs from companies you don’t buy from, call them and tell them to get off their lists — and that’s an order.
‘lil note: Sometimes I get more than one of the same catalog or magazine, which is DEFINITELY not needed. Also, if you’re leaving town, cancel your newspaper subscription for those days. It will save you money, and frankly, you’re not going to read them when you get back anyway!
10. Support WWF
They had to include this because it’s their brochure! I do think they do good things, though. Think of all the cute animals they help! Here’s a great idea: the holidays are coming, so why not give a WWF gift? They have all kinds of bags, stuffed animals and more to choose from, and a portion of the proceeds go to a great cause.
