I often hear, "What can I do?" I know so many people who want to contribute to preserving the planet but don't really know where to begin. I think it's become pretty common to fall into a pattern of thinking that as one person you can't do much difference. I know that I believed that same thing not long ago. But then I realize that a bunch of ones add up to a pretty hefty number. Change starts at home and I'm proud to be able to say that I am now part of that. And really, it's SO easy to do things to help make a difference. We've all been raised to recycle and I'm sure most of us do. Throw your paper, cans and bottles in the bin and call it a day. But you can go even further without much effort.
1. Fuck plastic. If you can make just one change in your life, it's this. Ask for paper, not plastic at the grocery store. Better yet, get some totes and rock your groceries in a cute bag. Buy a reusable water bottle. (I'm a fan of the hot pink one from Klean Kanteen.) Check out the many, many reasons why to stop drinking bottled water that you might not have even considered before now. The number one most common litter found on our beaches right now are bottle caps from bottled water. It's so easy for animals to scoop these up and swallow them. Our wildlife are not garbage bins.
2. Get a bike! Nothing is sexier to me than seeing a cute boy riding around town on two (unmotorized) wheels. Most of us live close enough to most things we need. The grocery store, yoga class, the bank, the dentist or doctor's office, etc. Load up some road bags and start discovering exactly what you can access without your car. Then convince your friends! The benefit to the planet will be astounding and you'll love the savings in your wallet. I'm totally planning to get myself a bike and see what I can do with it this summer.
3. Practice Meatless Mondays. If you're already a veggie/vegan, this is something you do routinely. But if you're a meat-loving person, that's okay, too! Keep loving that meat... six days a week. (Stolen stat: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.) If you need some help with some killer recipes for those Monday dinners, I have some great resources to toss your way.
4. Consider your water usage. We all waste so much water without even meaning to. Some ideas on how to help: Brush your teeth without running the water. Make a game out of seeing how quick you can get in and out of the shower. Shower with your partner! Switch to the warm-cold or cold-cold cycle in your washing machine.
5. BUY LOCAL. Meat, veggies, eggs. It doesn't matter. Support your local farmers. Every time you go to the store, you're voting with your dollar. By purchasing items that are grown locally or by hitting up your farmer's market instead of the chain supermarket, you're saying that you support family owned farms and are helping boost the demand to stop letting corporate farms run our lives. You're also helping decrease the demand for food flown and driven all over the planet. Plus, I think it tastes better. Must be all that LOVE it was grown with.
6. Reduce your mail. Take a day-of-hassle and figure out where your junk mail is coming from. Call those places and tell them to stop delivering to you. Call your bank and cancel your statements - get them online! Stop mailing checks out when you pay your bills - do it online. Not only are checks totally outdated with your account number right there on the face of it, you don't need all of that paper or that demand for transportation. The internet is an amazing place. Use it for more than blogging and facebook!
7. Give it away. When you're doing your spring cleaning, don't just toss out the items you don't need anymore. Donate them. Go to Goodwill or shelters. Ask your friends if they have any need for any of it. Make a habit of going through what you've got and letting go of anything you need. Not only does it promote the community of sharing but it also helps you stop from being attached to items that you no longer need.
8. Share. Pass along your best practices. Share the things you do. Encourage the people in your life to try out some of these things and more. The only way we're going to make a difference is to do it together. I'm open to all of the possibilities. Are you?
2. Get a bike! Nothing is sexier to me than seeing a cute boy riding around town on two (unmotorized) wheels. Most of us live close enough to most things we need. The grocery store, yoga class, the bank, the dentist or doctor's office, etc. Load up some road bags and start discovering exactly what you can access without your car. Then convince your friends! The benefit to the planet will be astounding and you'll love the savings in your wallet. I'm totally planning to get myself a bike and see what I can do with it this summer.
3. Practice Meatless Mondays. If you're already a veggie/vegan, this is something you do routinely. But if you're a meat-loving person, that's okay, too! Keep loving that meat... six days a week. (Stolen stat: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.) If you need some help with some killer recipes for those Monday dinners, I have some great resources to toss your way.
4. Consider your water usage. We all waste so much water without even meaning to. Some ideas on how to help: Brush your teeth without running the water. Make a game out of seeing how quick you can get in and out of the shower. Shower with your partner! Switch to the warm-cold or cold-cold cycle in your washing machine.
5. BUY LOCAL. Meat, veggies, eggs. It doesn't matter. Support your local farmers. Every time you go to the store, you're voting with your dollar. By purchasing items that are grown locally or by hitting up your farmer's market instead of the chain supermarket, you're saying that you support family owned farms and are helping boost the demand to stop letting corporate farms run our lives. You're also helping decrease the demand for food flown and driven all over the planet. Plus, I think it tastes better. Must be all that LOVE it was grown with.
6. Reduce your mail. Take a day-of-hassle and figure out where your junk mail is coming from. Call those places and tell them to stop delivering to you. Call your bank and cancel your statements - get them online! Stop mailing checks out when you pay your bills - do it online. Not only are checks totally outdated with your account number right there on the face of it, you don't need all of that paper or that demand for transportation. The internet is an amazing place. Use it for more than blogging and facebook!
7. Give it away. When you're doing your spring cleaning, don't just toss out the items you don't need anymore. Donate them. Go to Goodwill or shelters. Ask your friends if they have any need for any of it. Make a habit of going through what you've got and letting go of anything you need. Not only does it promote the community of sharing but it also helps you stop from being attached to items that you no longer need.
8. Share. Pass along your best practices. Share the things you do. Encourage the people in your life to try out some of these things and more. The only way we're going to make a difference is to do it together. I'm open to all of the possibilities. Are you?
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