Earth Day
So 22 April each year is Earth Day… ummm… shouldn’t EVERY day be Earth day?
Whether you live in a big city or a small town, on the coast or in the mountains, earth is the place we ALL call home. And it’s up to us to take care of it. Our actions impact whether or not the air we breathe is clean and the water we drink is fresh. Our actions can also directly alter the delicate ecosystems that make life on this planet possible. We all want a clean, safe, and beautiful environment for our families to enjoy. In order to maintain that, we need to understand our connection to the world around us.
Many factors, including the decisions we make in our own home and workplace, affect the well being of our environment. Little things we do every day can either add to the problems facing the environment or to the solutions. If everyone chooses to make just a few simple changes in their daily routine, over time our world will become cleaner and healthier for generations to come.
Keeping the home we live in clean is a normal part of our regular routine. When the garbage is full, we take it out. When the dishes need to be cleaned, we wash them. But when it comes to the second home we have, the earth we live on, doing our part to keep the environment clean is often overlooked.
It doesn’t take much to pollute the air, contaminate water, squander energy, or create waste. That’s why it’s important to know what we can do to reduce our negative impact on the environment. The good news is that making a difference is as easy as rethinking how we go places, what we throw away, and what we use in and around our homes and workplaces.
Four Ways to Help Mother Earth
Protect Water. First, only use cleaning products that are free from harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach and phosphates to keep our waterways clean. Second, use only as much water as you need and be especially mindful of anything you put down the drain.
Conserve Energy. Whenever possible, wash your laundry in cold water. This alone can save you around $10 a month on your electric bill. Hang clothes on the line to dry instead of using the dryer and turn lights off when your not in the room.
Improve Air Quality. Combine your weekly errands into a single trip. Ride a bike, take a walk, carpool, or use mass transit whenever possible. If you can skip a trip in your car, do it. Buy a salt lamp and a ficus plant for your home.
Reduce Waste. Buying concentrated products helps reduce packaging that’s thrown away and cuts down on the need to manufacture new plastic packaging. By recycling as much as you can, you can reduce the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills.
This planet is our only home. By working together, thinking about our actions and purchases and making small changes in our home and workplace, we can create and preserve a healthy environment for ourselves, our children, and for the generations to come.