As you know Earth Day 2011 is just around the corner so I thought I would start up some discussion to see what people are doing for Earth Day this year and share our plans. It’s amazing how small changes can have a big impact on the world we live in. For example, the average person produces about 5 pounds of trash per day, which is about 1800 pounds per year! Just a little trash here and there from enough people adds up quickly. Likewise, so does the reverse. When more and more people commit to taking care of the earth little by little, it also adds up big time.
When talking about Earth Day, a great place to start is with the “Three Rs.” If you want some simple tips on how you can make a positive impact on the earth, this is where to start. Before we do, I highly encourage to watch this cute and entertaining video below with your family, especially your kids. I highly encourage you to discuss the content with your children. After doing so, the three Rs below will have much more meaning for you and them.
The “Three Rs” are: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. In that order.
Reduce
If you watched the “Story of Stuff“, then you are now well aware of the importance of reducing the amount of unnecessary stuff you buy. We made a commitment a long time ago to greatly reduce the amount of stuff we buy. In fact, we greatly downsized our lives and question our purchases.
Cutting back on the things we purchase is just one way to reduce, another one is to reduce what we do. You can reduce the amount of water you use, food you waste and electricity you use. It is as simple as taking shorter showers, turning the water off when you brush your teeth, using more natural light during the day, combine your car trips when shopping, you get the picture. It all adds up.
The awesome thing about reducing is you not only help the earth, but you also save money via less purchases, lower bills, save on gas, etc.
This year we plan to reduce by:
- Use less water: Take shorter showers and turn water off while scrubbing
- Use less gas: Walk more and combine car trips
- Reduce packaging: Buy more whole foods limit purchases of stuff in packages like snacks
Reuse
Instead of throwing things away, see if you can possibly reuse them. Also you can reuse other people’s stuff too. Check out freecycle.com as an alternative to buying something new. You can save money by getting the item for free and reduce the amount stuff being made. Likewise you can let others reuse the stuff you no longer need or want.
Here’s how we plan to reuse stuff:
- Reuse our stainless steel water bottles and our water filter
- Reuse our cloth shopping bags and bulk item bags
- Reuse our soap bottles, etc.
Recycle
Make a commitment to recycle all the stuff you can, which includes your plastics, aluminum, steel, tin, paper, cardboard, etc. Also, consider composting your food scraps too. We recently got into composting with worms which can be done even if you live in an apartment.
Conclusion
The “Three Rs” are a great place to start for this years Earth Day. Every little bit helps so don’t hold back. Even if you can only do one thing better this year, consider doing it. There are many other things you can do too. For example, this year our family is starting a small organic vegetable garden as a family project (will post more on this later). If you are looking for some ideas or inspiration for Earth Day, then check out this website, A Billion Acts of Green.
I am definitely interested in hearing what others are doing for Earth Day 2011, so please feel free to leave some comments on what your plans are. I am always looking for more ideas in this area. Let’s make Earth Day 2011 the best ever!
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