Ten Simple Ways To "Go Green"
Posted by
mlkiser
Ten Simple Ways To "Go Green"
Going "Green" is really big, these days and it's not all that hard. Why go "Green"?
The most logical answer of all, "Green" is natural, healthy and not just for you, but the environment, your pets, children and wildlife.
Allergies are on the increase, more than ever. Toxins in our food, water and air often cause Cancer. One has to ask, how many other diseases and ailments these, might be caused by them, as well?
Doctors constantly claim that we are living longer, but we also have more varieties of diseases. What good is living longer if we are going to suffer so many more ailments?
Going "Green" is the best way that I have found to relieve many of my own allergies and ward off many diseases. Some of the ways I have gone "Green" are below.
I recycle. You may be surprised at how much can be re-used.
Plastic is a serious problem because it does not disintegrate for hundreds of years. Being a petroleum-based product, you can imagine the effect this has on our soil and water. When it is burned, it often releases toxic fumes into the air. Many companies are now recycling plastics into telephone poles, furniture and more. Don't throw it in the garbage because it also makes for some interesting art!
Buy recycled notebook paper, note pads, envelopes. Anything that has already been recycled no only saves you some money, but it saves the environment. I love to write with fountain pens and I find that recycled journals and papers are better for writing than other papers.
Use old buckets, milk jugs, cola containers and cans for nails, screws, left over paint, etc. Keep a few around to water plants and the garden. These can also make great hanging planters, bird and squirrel feeders and can be decorated with non-toxic paints.
Take cloth bags to the grocery in place of using plastic or paper bags. These can be folded and carried in a purse or pocket. Stores like "Wal-Mart" and "Meijer" even sell some nice cloth bags that are around $1.00 a piece and hold nearly twice as much as a plastic bag. You'll have fewer to carry and will be helping the environment.
Buy glass bottles rather than plastic or aluminum. Don't buy any cans or bottles held together with those plastic rings; these often end up in the dumps and oceans and can quickly strangle squirrels, cats, dogs, seals and other animals. They will also harm themselves chewing on the plastic.
Don't launch balloons and start a petition to help ban these. Once up in the air, these deflate and often fall into our oceans where they are eaten by whales, dolphins and other mammals that mistake them for small fish. They lodge over stomach, intestine, bowel or bronchial openings and can starve or suffocate these beautiful beings. Ribbons and strings attached can get into the intestinal tracts.
Buy whole foods and plants at natural food stores and co-ops that don't have pesticides or additives. These will strengthen your body and you'll avoid some serious toxins.
Clean and re-use un-damaged car parts such as Spark Plugs, hoses, clamps, etc. These are often toxic to children and animals that find them in dumps and garbage bins.
Be sure to take old Oil, anti-freeze, brake fluid and other fluids from cars to the waste management centers to be disposed of properly. These can leach into the soil and eventually make their way to our drinking water.
Buy "all natural", "Green" cleaning products. Many companies today are beginning to manufacture all natural cleaners, polishes and varnishes and they are really excellent.
Donate old clothing, toys to charities that can repair and reuse them. Recycle torn or old clothing as rags. Use it to tie up tomato plants, etc.
Just these few simple steps can go a long way towards helping the environment and everyone's health. Try them for a "Greener", cleaner world.
Copyright, 2007, M.L. Kiser
Helping The Environment: How to get involved
Posted by
mlkiser
Helping The Environment: How to get involved
There are so many serious threats to our environment these days that you might wonder what you, as an individual can do about it. There are more ways to get involved, than you would think.
There are many groups federal and statewide that you can get involved with. Some of my favorites are:
The Natural Resources Defense Council, www.nrdc.org, can provide you with petitions to sign regarding environmental and wildlife legislation. They have cleanup programs and campaigns to get you involved.
Eivirolink, www.envirolink.org, is an on line environmental community where you can learn about the condition of our environment, and various species.
The Keystone Center, www.keystone.org, is a public policy center where you can learn and get involved. It is more long-term and involves science in the care of the environment. It also has various educational learning centers, The ACLU, www.aclu.org, is another that is not only involved in Human Rights, but animal rights and the environment, as well. Here you can read about upcoming legislation and various environmental events. You can sign up to receive petitions and alerts, as well.
Care2 Society, www.care2.com, is one of my favorites and I think I have signed more petitions here than anywhere else to help the environment. They offer a great news updates and the ability to write your own petitions. You can also sign up for alerts from their site.
The EPA also has a website where you can get involved either federally or locally, www.epa.org.
Many people like to volunteer to help clean up parks and roadways. You can organize a neighborhood group to clean up your area. Meet at a pizza place or someone's house for a barbecue afterwords and discuss other ways that you can get involved.
Sign petitions; write letters, get friends and family involved in a letter-writing campaign. Check the above websites for updates on the environment and current legislation that you can write about. Write to your senators, representatives, the president and vice president, your mayor, governor.
Write to companies that are polluting the environment and suggest ways that they can continue to create a great product without harming the environment. Suggest that they organize an on-site environmental awareness group to get their employees involved in creating ways their factory can better produce without the devastating environmental effects.
Get your child's school involved in cleanup activities, make it a competition and offer An award to the child or children who collects the most trash and recyclables from their neighborhood.
Donate scrap metal, aluminum, old wood, nails, nuts, bolts, paint, etc., to school and college art programs. You'd be surprised at what an art student can create from the junk in and around your garage.
Don't throw out circuit boards, computers, cell phones, CD players, printers, scanners, digital cameras or old TV's; take them to a recycling center. Many office supply stores will recycle old printers, cameras, cell phones and ink and toner cartridges and they often give a few dollars off of some of their products for your donation.
There is a current program to recycle old cell phones going on now, www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com, where you can donate your cell phones to men and women serving your country. They'll appreciate the gift while they're so far away from their children and families and you'll help the environment and make someone's day, too! Their web site has some great updates and stories.
Many women's shelters would love a donation of a cell phone; these are recycled for women who cannot afford them. Some of these will even give you a tax deduction.
www.recellular.com A place to donate old cell phones. A tax deduction is available here.
www.shelteralliance.net You can donate to various shelters at this site, www.snbw.org A Battered women's shelter donations are taken here and you can donate online.
There are many more, but I can't list them all here. The great news is that you don't have to sit back and watch the environment waste away. Everyone can do something to get involved. So, go out, gather, organize, pickup trash, sign petitions or create them, involved your family and friends, your may, governor and everyone, but get involved.
Copyright, 2007, M.L. Kiser
NPR Topics: Health & Science
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