How To: Do Your Part To Save the Earth

Due to the tragic events of today in Japan and other afflicted coasts:

It motivates me even more to help advocate for the world because I don't think enough people do.

Although the idea of 2012 terrifies me, I do not believe that this will be the end of the world.

I don't exactly think anyone will know when the world is going to end or how.

However, I do believe however, day by day we are slow destroying our earth.

Earth, our home, our beloved planet. The only place that we have to live our lives out and exist.

With all of the knowledge that we as humans have, one would think that we would take a more active stance in fixing our home so that we can live safely, and provide a more conducive home for our future children and animals.

With this being said, I thought I would share my ideas on how we can all do our part to help save the Earth. 

Also before we get to far into this: I want to take a minute to extend my thought and prayers to everyone who was affected by the earthquake/tsunami in Japan and surrounding areas. 

1) Reducing the Amount of Electricity Used:

 I mentioned this in a previous post on being frugal, and it is probably one of the most common sense ideas that there are. It is very simple to reduce the amount of electricity you use just by turning off lights when your not in the room, turning down the heat or air conditioner when your not home or when your sleeping, and probably one that a lot of people don't consider but unplugging items when your not using them. Ya know those little red, blue or white dots on things when your not using them? That takes energy, and more energy then most people think. Also that little amount of energy adds up just like pennies and nickles add up. So please, turn off lights, laptops, tvs, turn down your heat/ air conditioner and unplug those items that your not using like cellphones, laptops, stereos etc.

2) Reduce the Amount of Driving You Do:

 Another no brainer I'm sure but still not enough people do it. As societies who are in a sense, spoiled and lazy, we drive for a large majority of our lives. Not only do we drive 500, 200, or 50 miles we also drive 2 miles, 1 mile or even 1/2 a mile. Ya know that gas station down the street that you drive to, to get milk. Yep that all wasting gas. Or ya know that cafe thats right by your work that you drive to to get lunch. Wasting gas. If we could all just walk a little more, run a little more, ride bikes a little more, or even roller blade a little more we can save so much gas, so much pollution and so much obesity. Yeah it takes a little while longer to walk, but its healthier not only for you, but also our planet if you just take that extra step and walk down the street. What makes me laugh the most are those who drive a mere couple miles to the gym.. Really? Just run there or bike there!!!!

 

3) By a Reusable Water Bottle and a Brita:

Personally, I think one of the worst things that we are doing to our Planet is ruining it with our filth. The fact that a significant majority of the world is obese, over weight, or food/product wasters we add so much garbage to our beautiful world. A huge majority of this trash comes from water bottles. I see this especially in college, but as a society we waste so many water bottles and even worse we only recycle some of what we use. Here are some facts: 
Of the 50 billion plastic water bottles used by Americans in 2006, 38 billion of them were thrown away, unrecycled. The 1.5 million barrels of oil it takes to produce 50 billion bottles could fuel 100,000 cars for a year. And that does not even include the oil used for transportation.

Last year, the average American used 167 water bottles, but only recycled 38.
More than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every day in the United States. This is a growing problem—it takes up to 1,000 years for disposable water bottles to decompose.

So please spend 40 dollars buy a Brita and a plastic or metal reusable water bottle and help do your part. 
 

4) REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE:

It really is that simple. Reduce the amount of waste you use, the amount of energy you use, the amount of gas you use.  Reuse what you have: that pair of jeans you wore for 5 hours, really don't need to be washed every single time. We wash things so easily and waste so much water its horrible. Reuse plastic bags that you get from the grocery store. Plastic shopping bags can either be used as garbage bags or reused for more groceries. Did you know that if you bring your own bags to price chopper you get .03 cents taking off your bill for every bag you would use.  Who doesn't love saving money!! Lastly recycle, if you do use water bottles, atleast bring them to be recycled. Many things now a days are able to be made out of plastic bottles, things such as pens, notebooks, and table cloths. 

5) Take a Stance:

Do your part and help educate others on how important it is to save our Earth. We are ruining the most precious thing we have in our lives. Without our Planet we wouldn't be alive and to me that makes it beyond important and irreplaceable. Write to your local congressmen and women, your mayors, your governors, your senators and your president, your king or queen or you prime ministers. Reach out.  Spread the word. Tweet, post a facebook status, BLOG! Am I as one person going to help change the world? You bet I am!!! I am going to do everything I can to help make our home inhabitable for my future children and their future children, and all the little animals that have just as much of a right to be here as me. Am I a huge impact? No, not really but I am one more person who cares, and hopefully this reaches out to all of my lovely 71 followers & hopefully you all blog about this or link back as well. 

I am pledging to do my part to clean up Earth. Will you!? 

 xoxo.
[photos from: weheartit]