Global Consciousness & You, Part II

If you want to save the planet, but you don’t know what you can do, check out these eight ways to make a difference! You’ll be glad you did!

Re-use, Reduce and Recycle
Re-use everything possible, rather than buying more. When possible choose products with the least packaging. Both recycle as much of your garbage as possible and choose products made from recycled material when you shop. This saves space in landfills and keeps your community greener. Recycle aluminium cans; the energy saved by recycling one aluminium can is enough to power a TV for three hours.

Farmer’s Market
Choose to shop at the farmer’s market, not only will you find fresh organic vegetables but you’re helping to reduce the environmental impact of large scale trucking and flying of fruits and vegetables from foreign countries into your city. Perhaps even as importantly you’re helping to support sustainable agriculture.

Eat organic
No matter where you buy your food, choose organic foods. The chemicals used to eliminate insects, encourage rapid growth and eliminate weeds are polluting the groundwater, the soil, the air, and eventually end up in your body. Organic food and clothing is healthier for you and for the earth, and the more organic production, the better for the planet.

Clean up
Use vinegar and newspapers to clean your windows to a sparkle without spraying ammonia into your air. Baking soda, peroxide and citrus oils can clean as well as toxic chemical cleaners. Many popular cleaning products are toxic, and the EPA has sometimes found higher rates of hazardous chemicals in the average American home than outside it.

Use safe pest control
Sprinkle chili powder where ants appear; put sachets of dried cedar and/or tobacco in woolens to repel moths; and use soaps and pyrethins on infested plants. Depending on the pest and what you’re trying to protect all of these natural products repel insects: red chili pepper, peppermint, bay leaves, cloves, citrus oil, lavender, rosemary, tobacco, peppercorns, and cedar oil. Use the Internet to search for the right herb for your insect problem.

Choose hardwood, cotton throws or untreated wool carpet
Regular commercially available carpet releases toxic chemicals into your breathing air: formaldehyde, benzene and other chemicals.

Choose unbleached paper products
If your market stocks these products they’ll be noticeable for their light brown color. You can sometimes find paper towels, toilet paper, and coffee filters all made from organic, untreated wood. White paper may look nicer but it’s delivering harsh bleaches and other chemicals into your kitchen, your body and your food. They are now found in many grocery stores, as well as health food stores. The quality is the same, and the effect on your long-term health and that of the planet is immeasurable.

Turn off water waste
When you’re soaping up dishes or brushing your teeth, turn off the water. You can save nearly 5 liters of water with this simple step everyday. Also, instead of taking a bath, take a shower. This uses, on average, half of the water. That’s more clean water saved, and more money saved on your water bill.

There are hundreds of other tips available to help save the planet from your local utility department, at the library and on the Internet. If we all make changes, we may live to see the planet as filled with wildlife as it is now.