We have learned many things regarding the environment during this pandemic, one of the most significant being that humans are really inherently predators of the environment. Within just 30 days of the population being quarrentined, the oceans began to clear, the sky appeared clear, beautiful and unblemished, and the air suddenly felt as if it became more breathable.
So, if this magic upturn in environmental condition is only temporary until the pandemic ends, what can we do to find a way to maintain the world and it’s pristine majesty? How do we keep up with this trend of less pollution, & more care and concern for the world we are so grateful to inhabit, once we are all out and about again? Here are some steps we could add to our daily routines in life which will aid us in our quest to minimize our overall carbon footprint on the planet.
1. Recycle as much as possible. If you consume beverages which are packaged in plastic bottles, and they are beginning to pile up, one of the things you can do is to fill them with the plastic bags that we get from the grocery stores, and then donate them to one of the organizations who are building blocks for constructing recycled or sustainable houses, like Earthships.
2. If you still must use plastic bags (please do your part in switching to ecological bags and totes) try to reuse them as often as you can, if not every time you go to the grocery store.
3. It’s better to shop in bulk, rather than purchasing single serving food items, which are packaged in plastic containers. The bottom line is, if we continue buying packaged goods, manufacturers will continue producing them by the ton. This is not only a problem, because all of that plastic ends up in our oceans or landfills, and the problem is that corporations are more than willing to produce all of the packaging, but when it comes time to do their part and clean up, they’re nowhere to be seen or found. Entrepreneurs won’t produce what we don’t consume, so let’s begin to eliminate our pre-packaged plastic wrapped items altogether.
4. It’s long overdue to change all of your lightning to LED. It’s cost efficient, and it’s a change that requires very little more than buying and installing a lightbulb once every seven years. Sign me up.
5. Use water pressure reducers to reduce your use of water. If we can conserve, we this precious resource, we should. After all, we are made up of the stuff.
6. Rather than heating up the house to summer temperatures during the cold months, buy warm clothes & rugs to warm your house up and keep the thermostat around 74*.
7. Use less toilet paper.
8. Leftovers should be recycled and eaten, but if you still have organic leftovers: place them in the blender, add water, and pour the contents onto your very own compost. Left over fruits and veggies are fantastic plant food for your potted plants and garden. This is some of the best nourishment they can get, and you avoid throwing away wasted food.
9. Did you know that the power that keeps your tv playing your favorite Netflix series, the clock running, and all of your appliances ready to use at the drop of a hat for you is sucking energy like a leech? This energy is called vampire energy, and it warms up the planet. These vampire appliances infect houses, and add around $200 to your monthly electric bill, so aside from the National Day of unplugging, try to unplug everything you’re not using, and make every day National Day of Unplugging.
These are only a few small things we can do, but if we all do them, it will start to make a big difference overall in our world. The earth can survive without us, but we can’t survive without her…. let’s all do our part to keep her healthy.
