Happy Earth Day to the most intriguing planet in the Milky Way! Today we celebrate the beauty, resources, and conservation of our beloved planet in hopes to save what we have left for future generations. Many major companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook, have pledged to become zero carbon by 2050, but it also takes YOUR help to create a future where we can breathe fresh air and drink clean water. Read below on how you can help reduce your carbon footprint and start living a more sustainable lifestyle.
1. Grown your own vegetables and herbs
Before you read on, stop telling yourself you can’t keep plants alive. Gardening may take a little time, but that’s the fun in growing your own food! Whether you live in a mansion or a 1-bedroom apartment, there’s a way to start your own garden in your own way. Take a look at the Farmers Almanac to get started on your new food journey!
2. Buy Smart
Three easy ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint can start with where and how you shop for products we use everyday! For starters, start shopping locally! Most mom & pop stores rely on personal production or get help from local warehouses- which cuts down drastically on carbon usage. You could even take a trip to your local farmers market to shop for groceries or the local thrift store to find quality vintage pieces of clothing and furniture. Lastly, purchase eco-friendly toiletries/home products like soaps, cleaning supplies that won’t contain harmful chemicals.
3. Reduce use of plastic
Does this meme get the point across, or no? There’s literally billions of pieces of plastic floating around the ocean, so much that by the year 2050 the amount of plastic will outweigh the amount of fish. Matter of fact, there’s not one square mile of ‘surface ocean’ on the whole planet that is free of plastic pollution…so let’s collectively do better, K?
4. Reduce use of water
You’re probably wondering why we need to “save water” when the planet is covered by 71 percent? Well it turns out water doesn’t just run into our homes through pipes-but it requires a lot of energy to heat, pump, and filter the water we use every single day. Saving water can also help keep our ecosystems balanced so that animals and natural resources we need are preserved. Start today by turning off the water while you brush your teeth, remember you don’t always have to take a shower for an hour, and don’t be afraid to use the dishwasher every now and then.
5. Save on energy (save money too)
We probably have all heard our parents tell us to “turn the lights off” and probably only thought about the bills (which isn’t a bad thing)-but there’s more to this folklore than meets the eye. Did you know electricity is powered by the burning of fossil fuels like natural gas and coal? Imagine how many natural resources are used to power major cities like Dallas, L.A., Atlanta, or New York? Now imagine how much it would take to power an ENTIRE planet?! Help save some of these precious elements by switching to LED lights, trying energy efficient products in your home, and unplugging electronics when they aren’t in use.
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