It is easy to get discouraged, thinking that what one person does will not make a difference. However, one person’s actions, combined with the individual actions of each of the billions of people on the earth, can make a huge difference either for good or for degradation of the environment. The psychology of change says that it is hard for most people to make large changes all at once because they get overwhelmed. Most people do better with small, incremental changes in the direction they want to go. This fits in with the 3% sustainability philosophy of starting with small lifestyle changes that add up as you continue to add more “small things” to your daily life. If no one makes any changes, nothing will change. The more people who begin to make lifestyle changes, the sooner the impact will be noticeable. So, pick one thing (or one more thing) that will reduce your negative impact on the environment or increase your positive impact on the earth and start doing it today. When that change has become part of your lifestyle, add another thing. Consider whether you are ready for some larger changes in your lifestyle or work with an organization you believe in. Tell your family and friends what you are doing. Be an agent of the change you wish to see.
0 Comments
Today the weather is nice. The high temperature for the day is about 52 degree Fahrenheit, which is warm for this time of year. A storm is coming in tonight, bringing 4-8 inches of snow. For the next several days, every road will be covered with muck, and so will every car that drives on the roads. This morning on the way back from the grocery store, I looked over at the local car wash and counted seven cars, in spite of the forecast. I have tried to think of reasons why it would be important to wash a car today, knowing that it will get dirty tomorrow, but have not thought of enough reasons to account for that many cars, much less the rest of the cars that will likely be at the car wash throughout today.
Washing the car uses resources and generates dirty water that needs to be treated. While washing your car occasionally is important to keep it in good condition so it lasts longer (a good sustainability goal), think about how often the car really needs to be washed. Perhaps you can save some resources by thinking about when and how often you wash your car. When you do wash your car, try to use methods that save water and energy. If you use a hose at home, don’t leave the water running when you are not actively using it. Many communities now offer curbside recycling, which makes recycling many food packaging items convenient and easy. However, there are many items that can be recycled or re-used that the curbside programs will not accept. A little investigation and effort can expand the types of items you recycle or re-use. The link below discusses 5 items to consider (cell phones, cooking oil, latex paint, plastic packing peanuts, and automobile tires). The earth911.com website also contains a lot of other information on recycling to help you expand your recycling practices. However, driving a long distance to recycle just a few items uses a lot of energy and petroleum, so plan your recycling drop-offs to coincide with other trips to the same general location.
earth911.com/living-well-being/products-you-should-be-recycling/ |
Archives
May 2024
|