I was listening to talk show a while back on NPR where the respected commentator asked a panel repeatedly: “What are you doing to affect sustainability in your everyday life.” For a long time, the educated and interesting members of the speaker panel could NOT answer this simple question. It was evaded, ..ignored. Finally a young gentleman said something close to: “I took a water bottle [given at this conference] the first day and have been refilling it with the tap water in my hotel room”.
Simple, beautiful, green.
So, what are you doing to affect sustainability in your everyday life? What if I told you it’s so easy to have least one answer, if not 10!
And if one person at a time changes a habit, that’s MILLIONS, TRILLIONS in the reduction of use of water bottles, for example, which otherwise are a daily blow to our planet’s health.
My gift to you – to follow are some easy planet-friendly habits to add to your life. Reduce, reuse and recycle; in that order; for the love of Our Planet:
- Water bottles, as mentioned above (only reuse once or twice.) And/or, buy an aluminum water bottle or two and use them daily.
- Recycle books. Everyone can use them. They were made from trees. They educate us. Most donation centers and libraries will take them.
- Visit your local community recycle/trash service. Ask questions.
- Pick up your doggies poop. No really – your doggies cute, but the poop is toxic and of no value to any surface. In particular, the bottom of my hiking boot. Aarrgh!
- Designate a (sealed, hard plastic) bin somewhere to collect expired (toxic!) batteries. Put it in a shared hallway if you live in a multi-unit space. Hardware stores will take your batteries.
- Stop shopping for a while
- Most Packaging stores will take your styrofoam peanuts.
- Get a programmable thermostat.
- And more… wire hangers, … tech gadgets, …shopping bags, … magazines, … fabric, … office supplies. People could really use this stuff, like drycleaners, non-profit organizations and schools. For more info, read my book for the top ten ways… Pg. 188!
And here’s your inspiration:
Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” …make that change!
Michael Jackson Tribute, also sad
Or just listen, and make a change.