10 Small Habits to Change our Planet
Did you know that today 22 April, is International Mother Earth Day? If there ever was a day worth celebrating, this is it. With each moment that passes you can hear the gasps of our planet’s failing lungs as she struggles for air. Her hair once lush with rainforests and jungles is now a jumble of soul less plantations and eroded earth. Her eyes once sparkling with the clean ocean’s waves now overflow with acid rain. Does her heart beat? Can we keep denying that our home as we know it, is in fact dying?
Climate change is real. It doesn’t matter where we live in the world we are all noticing the effect. Drastic droughts and deadly floods, Summer days in the middle of Winter or colder days that never quite come. Here at home in South Africa we know all about it with the major water shortage in Cape Town and devastating fires that have swept our coastlines. Everyday endangered species pass away, age old trees are chopped to the core and tiny particles of plastic find their way into our very own bodies. And the statistics keep rising.
91% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality exceeds WHO guideline limits. -WHO
This is just one of countless startling facts about the dire state of our planet. The Worldwatch Institute evens goes so far as to say:
“We are in the midst of a mass extinction, an event not seen since the disappearance of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago.”
And the most alarming thing is – they’re right. So this Mother Earth Day, take some time to contemplate the state of our Earth. Peel back the wool and open your eyes to the real demise occurring around you. Take a moment to notice your own attitude and behaviours. But really notice. Do you buy items in unnecessary packaging? Do you plastic bags purely out of convenience? Do you ride solo when you could be carpooling? What role are you playing in the destruction of the planet, and more importantly what powerful role can you play in turning it all around?
The future of our planet really is in our hands, and it’s not too late. One small change in perception and we can begin on the path to transformation and resuscitation. How many of these small changes below could you make and commit yourself to making a big difference to the state of our world?
10 Small Habits to Change our Planet
1. Use energy efficient light bulbs – the saves you power and money.
2. Always recycle glass – it takes on shard of glass one million years to decompose.
3. Do laundry consciously – only wash full loads. If every house in America did a warm rather than hot cycle, it would save 100 000 barrels of oil per day.
4. Write on paper efficiently – use both sides, use up every piece of the paper and then don’t throw it away – recycle it!
5. Work from home – if you work online, why not take advantage of this modern day luxury and request to work from home a few days a week. This will save you petrol money and save the planet at the same time.
6. Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth – this may seem a small feat but can save up to billions of litres of water each day.
7. Zip through the thrift store – buy second hand items from furniture to appliances and clothing, why create more waste when there’s so much than be reused.
8. Wherever you can buy local products – reduce your carbon footprint by heading to community farmers markets with your reusable shopping tote in hand.
9. Use a travel mug – for all you coffee fundis, don’t be a noob and get a plastic cup with your morning caffeine fix, take your own mug and keep on filling.
10. Cancel your paper bank statements – opt to receive all statements and bills via email and save the trees.
But this is just the tip of the fast disappearing iceberg, for 40 more ideas, check out this site.
We DO have the power to change the world. If we each started making these small daily changes everyday we would go a long way to reversing the effects of climate change and helping Mother Earth to breathe freely once more.
What other daily habits can we do to save the planet? Share your ideas in the comments below.
