Make a difference, make a change
Tuesday, 10. April 2007, 05:06:08
Small Changes . . . Done by Many . . . Create Big Results
I've made a short tour around Opera. On many blogs there is a general dismay and concern regarding the state of the global condition-Global warming. Most have voiced disgust and concern, however the general feeling is one of helplessness. But you can make a difference a very big one. If each person who felt so compelled to vent would make some simple changes the effect could be amazing. If each person that felt so compelled could tell just one other person how to make some simple changes the effect would be transforming. As a human collective we can voice our choice with our actions. As a human collective we can effectively promote a greener Earth.
Everyone knows — from countless studies, personal experience, and common sense — that negative environmental messages aren't very helpful. People simply don't want to be told what's wrong . . . without being told how they can realistically help. As concerned as we may be, few of us are willing to change our preferences and lifestyle to help some vague 'greater good.' We need more than that — a personal reason to make a change, and the knowledge and inspiration to follow through.
Some Examples of How You Can Make a Difference:
Keep your tires properly inflated. This will increase your fuel efficiency by two miles per gallon, and increase the life of your tire by 15%. If every American made this change, 4 million gallons of gas could be saved every single day, and we would have 30% fewer tires in our landfills.
Give up eating your steak just once a week. If just 10,000 people gave up eating beef once a week, they would save 1.5 BILLION gallons of water usage, and would stop more than 60,000 pounds of fertilizer from being released into the water table.
Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don’t know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers’ markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!
Drink more water from reusable glassware. It’s great for your bank account, your health, and your planet. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Choose your seafood wisely. We can’t afford to wait until 2008. The world’s seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to an early November report in the journal Science. That means the moment to shape up is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.
Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you’re at it, throw on a sweater and lower your thermostat for the winter by just three degrees. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year. And that’s just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.
Imagine the potential if hundreds of thousands of people made simple changes like this everyday. This is just the beginning...
I've made a short tour around Opera. On many blogs there is a general dismay and concern regarding the state of the global condition-Global warming. Most have voiced disgust and concern, however the general feeling is one of helplessness. But you can make a difference a very big one. If each person who felt so compelled to vent would make some simple changes the effect could be amazing. If each person that felt so compelled could tell just one other person how to make some simple changes the effect would be transforming. As a human collective we can voice our choice with our actions. As a human collective we can effectively promote a greener Earth.
Everyone knows — from countless studies, personal experience, and common sense — that negative environmental messages aren't very helpful. People simply don't want to be told what's wrong . . . without being told how they can realistically help. As concerned as we may be, few of us are willing to change our preferences and lifestyle to help some vague 'greater good.' We need more than that — a personal reason to make a change, and the knowledge and inspiration to follow through.
Some Examples of How You Can Make a Difference:
Keep your tires properly inflated. This will increase your fuel efficiency by two miles per gallon, and increase the life of your tire by 15%. If every American made this change, 4 million gallons of gas could be saved every single day, and we would have 30% fewer tires in our landfills.
Give up eating your steak just once a week. If just 10,000 people gave up eating beef once a week, they would save 1.5 BILLION gallons of water usage, and would stop more than 60,000 pounds of fertilizer from being released into the water table.
Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don’t know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers’ markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!
Drink more water from reusable glassware. It’s great for your bank account, your health, and your planet. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Choose your seafood wisely. We can’t afford to wait until 2008. The world’s seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to an early November report in the journal Science. That means the moment to shape up is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.
Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you’re at it, throw on a sweater and lower your thermostat for the winter by just three degrees. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year. And that’s just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.
Imagine the potential if hundreds of thousands of people made simple changes like this everyday. This is just the beginning...
WIDGETIZE
martinouellette # 10. April 2007, 11:21
angel292005 # 10. April 2007, 14:23
wickedlizard # 10. April 2007, 15:54
mommyluvsliz # 10. April 2007, 16:18
wickedlizard # 10. April 2007, 17:10