| Saving
Our Mother
By Tracy Rohland
Mother Earth has taken a beating when it comes to her health and appearance.
The destruction of woodlands, the pollution of beaches and oceans,
and the depletion of the ozone layer are making it increasingly difficult
for her. People often take for granted the abundance of resources
that are reaped from the earth and forget that it is everyone’s
responsibility to take care of the world in which we live. Though
many may feel powerless to halt the destruction of the earth, there
are small contributions that can help maintain the health of the planet.
This Earth Day, everyone should remember the three "Rs":
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. You may have heard this catchy phrase before,
but few people actually apply to their everyday lives, although it
is a much easier accomplishment than one might think.
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Reduce:
The first "R" is the basic concept of conservation. Producing
less waste in the first place can make a huge difference in the amount
of reusing and recycling that happens later on. Try to be mindful
of the ways that you can reduce your waste production throughout the
day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Make
double-sided copies and prints.
• Try
to format your documents in such a way as to fit more text on one
piece of paper.
• Buy
or make your own cloth napkins instead of using paper ones.
• Pack
lunches in Tupperware containers rather than baggies.
• Clean
your floor the old-fashioned way – with a broom and a mop. Resist
the urge to use convenient disposable wipes that are popular these
days. They create a huge amount of unnecessary waste.
• Use
only the amount of paper towels or toilet paper that you need –
people tend to get a little carried away with this and cutting back
here and there will go a long way.
Don’t forget about reducing water and gas usage also:
• Shortening
the time of a shower by even one minute can save many gallons of water
in the long run.
• Invest
in a low flow toilet.
• Don’t
be a gutter-flooder. If it rains the night before, remember to turn
your sprinklers off the next day, or get a rain gauge to regulate
when the sprinklers come on.
• Walk,
ride a bike, or use public transportation whenever possible to reduce
the amount of gas your car consumes and pollutants it emits.
Reuse: Many of the things
included in "Reduce," like the cloth napkins and Tupperware
containers, can in turn be "Reused." Below are a few more
suggestions:
• At Down
to Earth, customers are encouraged to reuse plastic bags or bring
their own reusable canvas bags. For every bag that customers reuse,
Down To Earth rewards them with 5 cents off their purchase.
• Down
to Earth also encourages customers to reuse plastic containers, like
those for nut butters, syrup, and honey.
• Refill
water and juice bottles.
• Cut
up junk mail or paper that would otherwise be thrown out and use it
as scratch paper to leave notes and phone messages on.
Recycle: The final step
in closing the loop. Often confused with reusing, recycling is the
act of reprocessing things like paper, glass, and aluminum into new
products. If your community does not have a recycling program, take
action to start one up. Contact your city councilman to find out about
implementing a program or find out where you can take your recyclables.
Finally, respect
the appearance of Mother Earth. DO NOT throw trash on the ground.
If there is not a trash can convenient, just hold it or put it in
your pocket until you find one. Litter is a huge problem for wildlife.
Birds, fish, and other animals get caught in plastic bags and soda
can rings and can choke on small pieces of trash. Plus, trash makes
parks and beaches less appealing. Do not let your carelessness destroy
living creatures and habitats.
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