Saturday, May 11, 2013

Environmental Awareness

By Merv Carlson


In this modern life, there are more and more people taking care of environmental issues than ever. The basics, reducing, reusing and recycling are common place, taught to children in early school life and embraced by many families Canada wide. Every effort made to live a cleaner, greener and lower impact life is important. What is there left to do to get greener when you feel like you're doing it all? As a species, humans have progressed hugely. The past century has seen the introduction and reliance on unsustainable energy and fuel use. We can not turn time back, but there are things we can do to change our lifestyles and protect our environment.

Cutting out Unnecessary Products

One of the easiest ways people can do is to cut out the products we do not use. A quick scrutiny of the products you use in your daily routine can be an easy first step to greening up. For example, consider how many products you really need for your morning activities? Does it need to be 6 shower gels, some types of shampoos and some more hair conditioners? Many body products, from cosmetics to shower gels, can contain ingredients harmful to both your body and the environment. By cutting down on the number you use, you can reduce the energy spent producing them, cut down on your exposure to less than healthy ingredients and have more money in your pocket.

The same action can be applied for home cleaning situation. Whenever you go get a new cleaner product, make sure you choose the ones which are environmental friendly. Even still - you will have 12 different eco cleaners in your cupboard. Did your grandparents cleaning cupboard contain 12 different bottles? Don't think so. By purchasing multi use products or making your own products can be a great way to bring more green into your cleaning routine. Vinegar, baking soda and lemons cover all the basics of creating your own cleaning solutions. When you are purchasing fewer products you cut back on cost and packaging waste.

The larger more energy consumptive products people tend to purchase are appliances. Appliances can be named as refrigerators, deep freezers, washing machines, dryers as well as various electronics. You can save electricity by just using the needed appliances. What are unnecessary appliances? For example, you will not need a heavy duty dryer if you live alone; or you do not need a bar fridge if your family has only 5 members. Make sure you plan your every purchase and shop wisely.

The Food Routine

There is certainly much more to food than consumption. The production, transport, purchase and preparation are typically essential parts having food onto the plate. Wondering about how your food gets on to your plate and making adjustments to that process can reduce the impact your eating routine might have. Production of meat is a resource intensive process. Eating out of season vegetables depends on the transport of goods over continents. Growing and maintaining a garden so that you can produce your own vegetables is another choice. Taking in less meat can reduce the impact your eating routine have, just as eating locally grown & produced foods can.

While adjusting ways of eating is usually a severe and difficult decision for some people, food store habits are a little easier to improve. Bringing your own recycleable bags is a wonderful replacement for the plastic option provided in many food markets. Bringing your own personal reusable bags for vegetables and fruit is another way to minimize the plastics. Sanitary, reusable plastic or glass containers could be used to pick up meat or deli products. Plastic recycling programs are getting better, but making sure any plastic which you do pick up in the grocery store can be recycled locally cuts down the waste you produce. We count on food to power our bodies. We can't eliminate the impact that food creates but we are able to try and minimize that influence.

The Waste

Disposable is never good for the environment - landfills are a commonly accepted solution to societies waste production. They are not sustainable but apparently unavoidable solution. By purchasing long lasting products, cutting down on heavily packaged items and being aware of what you throw away will help to cut down on the demand for landfilling. At home composting is really incredible way of transforming waste into a nutrient rich resource - soil. Wastes which are organic can be transformed, such as kitchen scraps, yard waste, pet waste and certain paper products. Vermicomposting is an in home way that depends upon the appetite of worms to absorb kitchen scraps. Diligently sorting out recyclables and being a part of setting up complex recycling programs in your area can be a fantastic way to divert waste from landfills.

The Carbon

One unavoidable impact that every person has is their carbon output. People need air to breathe; each time they breathe, they expel carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The creation of food, appliances, electricity and essentially every man created product has a corresponding output of greenhouse gases to the environment. In fact, carbon output is produced everywhere, even when you are driving vehicles or taking flights. You can calculate the carbon footprint you and your family produce thanks to the online carbon footprint calculators. Calculating the amount of carbon footprint you make will help you have an accurate number of carbon footprint you are responsible for. The next step is to try to reduce or entirely neutralize your footprint. Exercising outside, purchasing less and avoiding fossil fuel based modes of transportation are all options. The fact is carbon outputs are unavoidable. However, you can become carbon neutral by buying carbon credits. Purchasing carbon credits mean you are responsible for what you cause to the environment. Some of the popular carbon sinks which help absorb carbon from the atmosphere are trees, soil and oceans. There are 2 types of carbon credit market: compliance and voluntary carbon credits. Purchasing certified carbon credits is one verifiable way to offset your carbon outputs tonne for tonne. The carbon credit cost is very reasonable, only 25 dollars per tonne. A terrifically eco conscious way to spend the money saved by greening up other aspects of your life.

Becoming more eco conscious on an individual basis can lead to transformation of the environmental consciousness of countries. The environmental awareness is an important part of being a responsible citizen of the Earth. Thoughtful consumption, mindful purchases and earth conscious lifestyle choices all lead to getting greener than you may already be.




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