How You Can Help
Simple Ways Anyone can Help the Environment
-
​​​Plan meals so that you don’t cook more than you need. Also, don't waste leftovers; use them in another meal. If you end up with a surplus of food, such as after a party, share it with friends.
-
Walk to places. If you can avoid driving for two days a week, you'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 1,590 pounds per year.
-
If you're trying to choose between two products, pick the one with the least packaging.
-
Unplug appliances from the outlet when they're not in use. Things like phone chargers that are just left in the socket continue to use small amounts of electricity.
-
Instead of buying bottled water, use a refillable bottle. You can also use water from the
tap to take it a step further. If you have concerns about drinking from the tap, you can always buy a water filter attachment (which will save you money, too). To manufacture plastic bottles oil is used, and they’re shipped around the world on carbon-chugging vehicles. Plastic bottles are actually very rarely recycled, and they take hundreds of years to biodegrade.
-
Start composting. It is a fantastic way to reduce waste in landfills. Composting can be especially beneficial to you if you have a garden, or just want your yard to look nicer.
-
Turn things off when they are not in use, like the lights and water. If you really don't need the lights on in a room to see, don't turn them on. If you don't currently have something in the water (doing dishes, brushing your teeth, etc.), turn the faucet off.
-
Recycling is not only important, it is mandatory in many areas. Recycling helps reduce waste, by reusing the materials of old products. While you can simply help by just separating your trash, some companies collect nontraditional items to recycle themselves. For instance, Converse stores have a bin to drop off old Converse sneakers, and Staples stores have drop off systems for any old office technology.
-
Start your own, or get involved in an ongoing cleanup. You can use My Project as a guide to help you get started with organizing your own trash cleanup. However, if you want less responsibility for the event, there are most likely many communities or nature reserves in your area that already host cleanups and just need volunteers.