What a beautiful, sunny day to celebrate this wonderful world. The birds are chirping, my cats are sunning themselves on the balcony, and I'm looking forward to a fun afternoon down at the forks.
But, at the same time I am reminded of just how fragile our environment is. Again, today, is another article in the Free Press about the dangers facing Manitoba's wetlands, and just how valuable those wetlands are to our environment.
As much as today is a celebration of Mother Earth, and a time to pressure governments to do everything within means to ensure our children's children can enjoy the same wonders as we do everyday, it is also a time for us to look at ourselves and take account of the many things we can do, and the many steps we can take, to save the planet.
Here are 5 things I pulled from today's Free Press :
- REDUCE YOUR CAR USE BY 10% A MONTH
Measure your car
mileage on a monthly
basis and set a target of reducing the number of
kilometres by 10% a month. "It means not using the car for short trips and taking transit
occasionally."
- DON'T JUST RECYCLE. BUY RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Most people feel they are doing their part for the environment by tossing recyclables in a blue bin. But unless
consumers are willing to buy goods
made from recycled products, there is no market for companies that manufacture items from post-consumer waste and
they will eventually stop producing these items.
Ex:
paper towels, toilet paper, coffee filters, garbage bags and office supplies (binders etc.)
- WASH LAUNDRY IN COLD WATER
According to some environmental studies, you can save $63 a year by switching to
cold-water laundering. You can buy detergent specific to cold water EVERYWHERE. Now that it's warm outside, you can further reduce energy consumption by drying clothes on an outdoor line instead of in the dryer.
- STOP USING THROW-AWAY PLASTIC BAGS AT SUPERMARKETS
Canadians would save 3.3 BILLION plastic bags a year from ending up at landfill
sites if they started using more durable shopping bags that can be reused many times over to haul groceries home from the store.
- USE PESTICIDE-FREE PRODUCTS ON YOUR LAWN AND GARDENS
Buy a
composter and
fertilize garden
beds with natural waste materials.
Some supermarkets and garden centres now carry natural
fertilizer and synthetic pesticides, herbicides or other toxic chemicals.
Happy EARTH DAY everyone!!
