Every year I make an effort to do something good for the earth on Earth Day. After all, the earth has been pretty good to me.
Join me in celebrating the earth and taking these 6 easy steps to living a greener life.
1. Take your own bags to the grocery store
According to Plastic Bag Statistics, “Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide.
That’s over one million plastic bags used per minute.” Why not bring in your own bags or reuse plastic bags from your last grocery store trip to cut down on the waste?
Some grocery stores, like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, even credit your bill if you bring in your own bags.
2. Eat Less Meat
Make a commitment to eat less meat, even if its only one day a week. Environmentally speaking, the meat industry has had a terrible effect on the earth in many ways (and not just the obvious cruelty to animals). Read about the effects of factory farming on the environment.
3. Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
The other day I drove by a landfill and i couldn’t help but wonder about just how many landfills there are around the world, or islands full of trash. Americans lead the world in the amount of waste they produce. According to the EPA, “in 2008, each person in the United States created a daily average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste.” But there is something we can do: recycle. Every bottle, paper plate, bag, or can that you can recycle will reduce your amount of waste. There’s a great movie about an artist that made art from other people’s trash called Waste Land. Check it out.
4. Carpool
The less gas you use the better the earth will feel (and the better your wallet will feel). So as often as you can make an effort to share your car or share your journey with others.
5. Buy Fair Trade or Support Entrepreneurs Worldwide
My two favorite socially conscious shops are Ten Thousand Villages and Gifts That Give. While both stores sell beautiful things, what is more beautiful is that buying at these shops supports the real people who make these beautiful things.
6. Turn It Off – All Of It
Whenever you get a chance power down and save some energy. This includes the TV, your iPad, your phone, everything and go outside. You’ll be amazed how great it feels.
