What it means to "Go Green"...!!!
"Trees are vital to our planet. They help us reduce Global Warming, they clean our air, filter our water systems, provide a habitat for half of the world’s wildlife species, and much more."
For me, learning about the planet and the environment I live in, broadens my appreciation of Mother Earth and compels me to become more active in saving Her...
The first steps are never easy, but there are lots of eco-friendly websites that will give you great tips on how to get started... for instance, recycling! This is NOT a new concept but it is one that needs to be explained a little better so that more people can get on board.
***items like aluminum, plastic, and glass cannot be broken down (dissolved) by nature because they are synthetic (not natural materials). When these items go to the landfill or the incinerator to be burnt, they give off bad gasses that contribute to the Greenhouse effect. These gasses interfere with our planet's ability to stay warm and destroy things like ozone, which in turn ruins the Earth's atmosphere. Not to mention that these unnatural materials (if they go to landfill with the regular garbage) also pollute our water systems.
Recycling is not difficult; just tedious. But if you plan it right, you won’t have a lot of work to do and the benefits are astronomical!
Another easy "Green" thing to do around the house is change your light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent. Those are the spiral looking bulbs which are energy & cost efficient, and fit any kind of light fixture. ***check Home Depot, they have a $5,000 sweepstake going on.
For me, the hardest part (and still working on it), is switching from paper napkins & paper towels to using regular fabric kitchen towels... My house is a huge PAPER hog and we go through paper (toilet, kitchen & printer paper!), like it's going out of style...
For my printing needs, I will be shopping for eco-friendly paper (whenever available). For my kitchen, the paper towels are GONE and for the bathroom... well, nothing I can do about that one right now! LOL!
I've also stopped using dryer sheets and have replaced them with dryer balls. I don't do plastic bags at the supermarket any more. I don't use aerosols like Pam cooking spray or hairspray, and I remember to turn off lights in rooms and power down electronics not in use. I’ve also learned recently that by changing the temperature on your thermostat by 2 degrees all year, you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 a year!!!
My best effort thus far, has been the adoption of my Furry Friend from the animal shelter.
If you want to get involved somehow but don't know what to do, take a look at some of these options:
-go to your local Arboretum and help them plant trees;
-volunteer at your local animal shelter;
-make your own compost
-carpool or use public transportation when possible
-walk or ride bike when possible
-volunteer to clean up local beaches
-donate time or money to worthy causes that will ensure a better tomorrow ($100 plants an entire forest!!!) –always make sure they are a non-profit organization!
-don’t be afraid to sign a petition if it’s for conservation of wildlife, welfare of animals, cleaner environment or anything else that will have a positive impact on Earth’s future. --be sure to check the sponsors and /or orgs promoting the petition before you sign it.
-Check your household cleaning supplies to see how toxic they are for the environment. Try to switch to a more Earth-friendly brand.
-Keep your car tires inflated to improve gas mileage by 3 percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.
*** Your Carbon Calculator***
Here’s an interesting tool to help you calculate how much Carbon your life style is emitting. Don’t be embarrassed, just be honest with your answers.
1. CarbonFund.org - http://www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/individuals/category/Carbon%20Calculators/
2. Travel Matters - http://www.travelmatters.org/calculator/individual/
To Off-Set MY carbon emissions in a given month, I need 19 trees!!!! That’s bad you calculate 19 trees by the amount of people on this planet… there just aren’t enough trees in this world!!!
I am not going to wait for Earth Day once a year, to do something....How about you?
For me, learning about the planet and the environment I live in, broadens my appreciation of Mother Earth and compels me to become more active in saving Her...The first steps are never easy, but there are lots of eco-friendly websites that will give you great tips on how to get started... for instance, recycling! This is NOT a new concept but it is one that needs to be explained a little better so that more people can get on board.
***items like aluminum, plastic, and glass cannot be broken down (dissolved) by nature because they are synthetic (not natural materials). When these items go to the landfill or the incinerator to be burnt, they give off bad gasses that contribute to the Greenhouse effect. These gasses interfere with our planet's ability to stay warm and destroy things like ozone, which in turn ruins the Earth's atmosphere. Not to mention that these unnatural materials (if they go to landfill with the regular garbage) also pollute our water systems.
Recycling is not difficult; just tedious. But if you plan it right, you won’t have a lot of work to do and the benefits are astronomical!
Another easy "Green" thing to do around the house is change your light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent. Those are the spiral looking bulbs which are energy & cost efficient, and fit any kind of light fixture. ***check Home Depot, they have a $5,000 sweepstake going on.For me, the hardest part (and still working on it), is switching from paper napkins & paper towels to using regular fabric kitchen towels... My house is a huge PAPER hog and we go through paper (toilet, kitchen & printer paper!), like it's going out of style...
For my printing needs, I will be shopping for eco-friendly paper (whenever available). For my kitchen, the paper towels are GONE and for the bathroom... well, nothing I can do about that one right now! LOL!
I've also stopped using dryer sheets and have replaced them with dryer balls. I don't do plastic bags at the supermarket any more. I don't use aerosols like Pam cooking spray or hairspray, and I remember to turn off lights in rooms and power down electronics not in use. I’ve also learned recently that by changing the temperature on your thermostat by 2 degrees all year, you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 a year!!!
My best effort thus far, has been the adoption of my Furry Friend from the animal shelter.
If you want to get involved somehow but don't know what to do, take a look at some of these options:-go to your local Arboretum and help them plant trees;
-volunteer at your local animal shelter;
-make your own compost
-carpool or use public transportation when possible
-walk or ride bike when possible
-volunteer to clean up local beaches
-donate time or money to worthy causes that will ensure a better tomorrow ($100 plants an entire forest!!!) –always make sure they are a non-profit organization!
-don’t be afraid to sign a petition if it’s for conservation of wildlife, welfare of animals, cleaner environment or anything else that will have a positive impact on Earth’s future. --be sure to check the sponsors and /or orgs promoting the petition before you sign it.
-Check your household cleaning supplies to see how toxic they are for the environment. Try to switch to a more Earth-friendly brand.
-Keep your car tires inflated to improve gas mileage by 3 percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.
*** Your Carbon Calculator***
Here’s an interesting tool to help you calculate how much Carbon your life style is emitting. Don’t be embarrassed, just be honest with your answers.
1. CarbonFund.org - http://www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/individuals/category/Carbon%20Calculators/
2. Travel Matters - http://www.travelmatters.org/calculator/individual/
To Off-Set MY carbon emissions in a given month, I need 19 trees!!!! That’s bad you calculate 19 trees by the amount of people on this planet… there just aren’t enough trees in this world!!!
I am not going to wait for Earth Day once a year, to do something....How about you?
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