How to Become An Everyday Environmentalist

Every day, just about every action you take provides you with an opportunity to make an environmentally sound decision. For example, do you purchase the oranges grown in California or the ones grown in Costa Rica? Do you idle the car while you wait to pick someone up or do you turn the car off? There are simple things you can do every day to make a difference. Here are just a few to consider and remember.

Eat More Vegetables

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Livestock produces a significant amount of methane gas. And the care and keeping of livestock requires an abundance of resources and energy. Vegetables, and fruits, don’t require as much energy and they’re generally better for you.

Additionally, if you buy locally grown organic vegetables and other produce, you’re taking huge strides to improve the environment because there are no harsh chemicals used to grow organic food, and locally grown produce doesn’t need to travel across the country to get to your dinner table.

Use a Car Share

Car shares are membership programs. You pay a monthly fee and borrow a car from the fleet whenever you need it. They’re fantastic because you don’t have to worry about the daily expense of insurance, parking, and car maintenance. You only pay for the gas you use and the cost of car shares is usually quite affordable.

Get a Reusable Coffee Mug

How many cups of take-out coffee, or tea, do you drink each week? If you’re like many Americans you may consume 3-5 cups of coffee-shop coffee on a weekly basis. Simply buying a reusable coffee mug and refilling it can save tons of garbage from finding its way into landfills. You don’t have to give up your coffee habit to be an everyday environmentalist.

Reusable shopping bag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reuse Shopping Bags
Stop bringing home all of those plastic shopping bags! They’re made from petroleum products and they don’t break down in landfills. And paper bags aren’t much better. Trees are cut down to make those bags and trees are what we need to continuously clean the air. Not to mention the amount of energy it takes to make one paper bag.

Instead, purchase a few reusable cloth shopping bags. Wash them weekly when you wash your towels or sheets; you’ll keep your food germ free and the environment will be in much better shape.

Turn It Off

Did you know that if you if you leave your computer on 24 hours a day, it could be responsible for releasing up to 1,500 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (www.nature.org)? Turn off lights and other electronics when they’re not in use as well. It makes a big difference.

It doesn’t take much to become an everyday environmentalist. Simply think about how your actions affect the planet and then make the best choice possible - for yourself and future generations.