April 22nd is Earth Day. A day to reflect on the wonders of our home and how we can help to take care of it. While some of these facts will be astonishing, don’t despair. Every one of us can make a difference by making small changes in our daily routines.
Some sobering statistics:
- Our planet supports the life of almost 9 million species and is currently experiencing extreme degradation and unprecedented climate change.
- 97% of scientists believe much of our planet’s challenges are caused by human activity. Small acts by individuals can have a massive impact.
- Americans are the biggest consumers on the planet. Even though Americans constitute less than 5% of the world’s population, we consume 24% of the world’s energy.
- The greatest concern to our health, well-being, and planet is that we’re not conscious of what we buy, how it’s made, where it comes from, or the massive destruction caused by the manufacturing process.
- If plastic pollution continues at the current rate and isn’t curbed by 2050, it will outweigh fish in our oceans pound for pound.
Don’t Panic … ACT!
If all of this seems overwhelming to you, you are not alone. But there are small changes we can make EVERY DAY that will add up and make a significant difference:
Single-Use Plastics Solutions:
- Stop using plastic grocery bags. Bringing your own reusable bags with you will save an average of 6-10 plastic bags weekly. Multiply that by 100 million people, and we’ll save 600 million to 1 billion bags weekly!
- Shop in bulk. Larger quantities of goods require less packaging.
- Reuse plastic bags. Most Americans have a stash of grocery bags; reusing them over and over again cuts the demand for additional production.
Water Bottle and Food Packaging Solutions:
- Bring your own reusable cup for coffee, tea, and soda.
- Reduce your use of bottled water by carrying your own refillable water bottle.
- Install a home water filter, or buy water in bulk from water delivery companies.
- Get permanent solutions for food storage while on the go.
Plastic Drinking Straws Solution:
Drinking straws may not seem like a lot of plastic, but they add up quickly. Instead of getting plastic straws at restaurants or cafes, you can bring your own reusable straw or simply go straw-free.
Paper Consumption Solutions:
- Use both sides of printing paper prior to recycling it.
- Use only printing paper made from sugarcane waste fiber. It’s 100% carbon neutral, 100% tree-free and totally sustainable.
- Use email instead of paper and change your bills to e-billing.
- Read books, newspapers, and magazines electronically.
- Buy products with the least amount of paper and plastic packaging.
- Store notes and files electronically on your computer or device.
- When buying paper, purchase only recycled paper that is chlorine-free.
- Purchase toilet paper from sustainable companies.
- Use cloth napkins at home – instead of paper napkins or paper towels.
Reduce Water Consumption
Water Consumption Solutions:
- Installing low-flow shower heads and faucets can cut down water usage by 60%.
- Immediately repair any leaky faucets or running toilets.
- Invest in a front-loading washing machine. Front-loading machines use less water than top-loading ones.
- Use a toilet tank displacement device; this reduces the volume of water in the tank.
- Use drip irrigation for lawns and gardens.
- Replace grass with shrubs and ground cover that require less water for maintenance.
- Reduce the amount of paper cups, bowls, and bags that you use.
Make every day Earth Day. Changing habits can be hard at first but contributing to a healthier planet can and should be a walk in the park!
References:
1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation found that there are over 150 million tons of plastic in the oceans today. That is about 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish. Keeping up a business-as-usual trend will have plastic outweighing fish in the ocean by 2050.
2. Greenpeace https://phys.org/news/2022-05-plastic-recycled.html
https://healtheplanet.com/100-ways-to-heal-the-planet/single-use-plastics
