By educating ourselves about the reality of the issues behind the headlines; by forming educated opinions; by making careful choices when shopping and voting; and by speaking up about environmental matters in our communities, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
By fostering debate, extremists on both sides of these issues help us to define the problems. But an informed, level-headed, and involved public is essential in solving them.
Reduce your trash. Try to select products with minimal and/or recyclable packaging. Fix broken things instead of throwing them out, and re-use durable goods several times before tossing them. Choose re-usable products over disposable ones. Compost biodegradable trash. And avoid "high-trash" activities like eating fast food. Drive less. When going a short distance, walk or ride a bike. For the commute, opt for carpooling or public transportation. When selecting that next car, look for one with high gas mileage. Conserve energy and water. Turn off the TV, the faucets, and the lights when not in use. Choose energy and water efficient appliances. And DON'T do things like opening the window when it's too warm inside- turn down the heat! (Same goes for putting on a sweater when the AC is set too high!) Better yet, don't use the AC, unless medically necessary. Open the windows and enjoy nature's bounty. Air Conditioners use freon, a gas that has been proven to delete the ozone layer. Be careful with those household chemicals! Home chemicals are actually a significant souce of pollution in many communities. Dispose of old motor oil, pesticides, cleaning agents, and pool chemicals properly. DON'T dump them down the drain! And avoid putting too much fertilizer and and too many pesticides on your lawn. Your lawn will thank you, and all the extra would have washed into your local stream with the first good rain. Plus, you'll save money! Learn more about the environment. Read and think about environmental issues. Don't just accept the opinion of a politician or a bureaucrat or an activist. Make up your own mind about what is important, and about how we can best achieve real progress in protecting the natural world. Educate yourself about which companies are enviromentally friendly, and support their efforts. Find out how your representatives in Washington (and in your state capital) are voting on environmental issues, and let them know YOUR opinion. Get involved with something that matters to you. Join a conservation organization. There are many types of environment-related groups involved in everything from protesting to conserving sharks. And there are many ways to become involved besides just sending a check. You can volunteer your time to pick up trash on the highways or in a park, write letters to congressmen, or teach children about nature. Explore all the ways to get involved, and pick something that excites you. Go outside!! This is the most important thing you can do to save the world. Learn to love it. Go for a walk in a city park. Rent a canoe or a paddle boat. Visit a national park. Take up bird watching or camping or nature photography. And bring your children. The diversity of life and the beauty of nature are truly wonders. Enjoy them.
Other Helpful Pages
|