Are you celebrating Earth Day and making a difference?

[rennea]

Today is Earth day. Hope everyone takes a minute today to think how they can be more Earth friendly:thumbup:

Today I did my shopping at a local farmers market stall. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Remember every little bit helps

 

[susanr613]

here are a few tips:
- change out your lightbulbs for CFC
- turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth
- turn off fully or unplug appliances when you're not using them.
- ceiling fans cool people, not rooms. when you leave the room turn off the fan
- shower together (my fave)

 

[lkprescott]

~Turn off lights and computers of any kind when not in use
~Hunt down phantom loads and eliminate them. Did you know cell phone chargers draw electricity even when a phone's not charging? If they're plugged in they're drawing. Using a product like Kill-a-watt helps hunt down phantoms.
~Plug electronics into surge strips and turn off the strip. Did you know that some of these new fangle TVs draw just as much electricity when off than when they're on? Eep!
~walk, bike, bus or carpool - not all are practical or available but just diminishing some of our reliance on oil will help AND will give you a workout for free!
~Take grocery bags with you when shopping. You don't need to buy canvas ones either. Two t-shirts, some strategic cutting and sewing and voila! You have a grocery bag that's sturdy, holds a LOT and you get back money when you use it at most grocery stores. Woohoo!
~Don't water your lawn or use fertilizers... get okay with the idea of a less perfect lawn. It's amazing how lush our grass is and how beautiful it is with clover, ground violets, Gil 'O the Ground and speedwell! And those dandelions? The greens are edible from a chemical free yard, the blossoms are used for tea and making wine.
~Insulate your house properly
~repurpose things to give them new life
~freecycle.org your 'trash' can be someone else's treasure and keeps useable goods out of landfills
~compost your kitchen waste. no land? worm bins don't take up much room and are not as gross as they sound and can be kept indoors.
~eat less meat - meat requires a LOT of environmental resources to produce as well is accountable for much clearcutting of forests worldwide... eliminate the 'middle man' eat the grains directly LOL
~reduce... reuse... recycle... repeat
~teach your children well... we do not inherit the land from our fathers - we borrow it from our children
~Don't brake hard, or gun it from the start and keep under 65 mph... not only is it the law in most states but it'll use less fuel. Faster is not always better when it comes to fuel economy.

 

[baychef]

I grew up in the 60's & 70's (hey..it was a long process...I am a slow learner!! ) I remember making an Earth Day cake...OMG...it looked like the remains of Cookie Monster. The picture made it look so easy!!

Anyway, it bothers me that there is trash stewn all over the place on the side of the road. I travel 40 miles round trip a day to work and it is a good thing it is a rural area...I find myself focusing on the trash too much sometimes.

I thought by the time I reached the age I am now that we would have this all down pat. We don't!

Be careful of the "energy saving" lightbulbs. Many contain mercury. Not a good thing to put into our land fills.

Be very careful if you know people that "dumpster dive" The ones looking for food that has been thrown out but is perfectly fine. There was a recall on commercial sized green beans (a number 10 can, folks...the ones you have at home are significantly smaller). They possibly have C. botulinum (the toxin given off by botulism). I work in a commercial food service setting and we are sending 270 cans of this to the landfill later this week. No lectures, please, our hand is forced (long story). It is not what I want to do but my biggest worry is that someone will think that these green beans are perfectly fine and either take some home or resell them. They will be picked up by a waste management agency and taken directly to a landfill...but still.

Well, now that I have depressed everyone:blushing: ...Happy Earth Day!!

 

[3RingChef]

Happy Earth Day! I couldn't agree more with your sentiment about taking a minute to think about how we can all be more Earth friendly. It's so important for us to be mindful of our impact on the environment and make small changes that can add up to make a big difference.I love that you did your shopping at a local farmers market stall. Not only does it support local businesses, but it also reduces the carbon footprint of our food by cutting down on transportation emissions. Every little bit truly does help.In addition to shopping locally, I also try to reduce waste by using reusable bags and containers, and I make an effort to recycle and compost as much as possible. These small actions can have a big impact on the health of our planet.Let's continue to inspire others to join us in being more Earth friendly. Thank you for sharing your actions and spreading awareness. Together, we can make a difference. Cheers to a greener future!Sincerely,