Earth Day Suggestions! Easy and Effective Ways to Honor the Planet

Happy Earth Day to ALL and to the EARTH as well!  I, like many others, believe that EVERY day should be Earth Day. We could not survive without this planet and the health of the planet determines the health of its occupants.  These facts should considered in every decision we make.  Unfortunately we are far from that level action, so today in honor of the Earth let us take a minute to grow our awareness and then take one more minute to spread the knowledge related to this very important cause.

It's become my annual Earth Day tradition to post my favorite enviro clips on social networking sites, and now on my blog, in efforts to spread awareness and promote safety measures for our planet.   It is an easy way to show your support and spread the word.  Here is what I posted this year:

This interesting and informative Vanity Fair article exposes just some of the corruptions of the evil Monsanto Corporation, the leaders in the GMO market.   

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805 

Sign the Millions Agains Monsanto petition HERE

In the Story of Stuff video, Annie Leonard delivers a comprehensive view of our current economic system and it's impact on the planet.  This engaging 20 minute video has both adults AND kids talking. It's one of my favorites.  Watch and share! 

  

The Story of Stuff

Below is a list of tips I share on facebook and printout for my son's school -  an easy and effective way to spread awareness-- the children are our future! 

Use Reusable!! It’s one of the most important things you can do to cut down on waste and help the planet. Someday our earth will be one big ball of trash—unless we do something about it. Bring your own shopping bags to the grocery store. Use a refillable drink container for water, juices, and coffee!

Pack your lunches in reusable sandwich, snack, and drink containers, instead of plastic bags. Use cloth napkins and your household flatware instead of the disposable alternatives, and pack it in a lunch box instead of brown bagging it.

Unplug it! Most appliances and electronics aren’t in use for at least18 hours of your day! Plug your electronics into power strips and power them down at night and before work.

Don’t pour oil, grease, foods, and chemical cleaners down the sink drain! These substances are very harmful to aquatic ecosystems and to our planet. Composting is the best method to deal with food scraps, but if composting is not possible, then save your unrecycleable containers and pour your grease and food items into them before disposing of them in the garbage. To learn how to make an urban, back yard composter visit:http://organicgardening.about.com/od/compost/a/cancomposter.html

Use Natural Cleaners! They are better for your health AND the planet.  

Use foaming soap dispensers! They use 75% less soap!

Try using 100% Post Consumer Waste (PCW) and Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, business cards, printer paper and school supplies.

Stop junk mail! Call to stop catalogs and ever time you place an order ask to be not be included on the mailing list.

Stop your phone books! AT&T/YellowPages: 1.800.792.2665, Verizon:1.800.888.8448,Yellow Book: 1.800.373.3280 or 1.800.373.2324

Recycle old print cartridges at staples and they give you a discount towards your purchase. Use refillable printer cartridges to reduce waste. At Printpal.com, 90% of the cartridges they supply are REUSED, and they always have free shipping!

Make the switch to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs—they are much more energy efficient and will greatly reduce greenhouse gases. But remember to be careful when handling them, if they break, leave the room for 15 minutes and always have a parent clean them up. Also, CFL’s cannot be thrown away with regular garbage—they are hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly or they can leach chemicals into groundwater. IKEA will take your used CFL’s, or you can save them with other hazardous waste items to be disposed of on the appropriate day.

Use Rechargeable Batteries— it will create less waste and conserve the earth’s resources. But again—ALL rechargeable batteries (cell phones, camera’s, video game controllers) are also hazardous waste. Take them to Best Buy, where they will recycle them for you, or wait for the appropriate day to drop them off with your other hazardous waste items.

For a list of hazardous waste items and drop-off dates and locations and for information on recycling call the Philadelphia Streets Department, or visit them on the web at

www.phila.gov/STREETS/hazardous_waste.html 

Get informed and Spread the Word! Visit NRDC.org, WCS.org, OrganicConsumers.org, ForestEthics.org, Cleanair.org, and FWWATCH.org to stay up to date on current environmental news. Better yet, click the “Take Action” links on each site to make a stand against negative environmental and animal rights issues.

And Remember the 3 R’s…because recycling is not enough!

FIRST Reduce (Use Less), then Reuse (almost everything is reusable!), and THEN Recycle!

Watch (and share!) the Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard at www.storyofstuff.com

Please share your Earth Day efforts as well!  I would love to hear your ideas to help the planet.