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Simple actions that have enormous impact.
FOR AN EVEN QUICKER READ, SEE BOLDED TEXT.
"Tiny actions" X "millions of people" = "major system change"
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#1) SAY NO TO BOTTLED WATER. One of the most important actions you can take. Why?:
- Keep water as our right versus becoming "owned" by big business and sold back to us.
- Don't fund big business with bottled water purchases; discourage corporate influence over lawmaking.
- Protect local aquifers from being drained, even during drought.
- Reverse enormous fossil fuel use in acquisition, shipping, cooling, bottling, labeling.
- Keep freshwater systems intact for biodiversity and clean drinking water.
- Reduce enormous plastic burden in landfills.
- Reduce energy used in recycling.
- Stop hazards for wildlife eating plastic or getting tangled.
- Much more.
Next steps
a) Reduce drinking of pop and other drinks (and food) with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) - nor aspartame, but that's more for health alone. Look under "ingredients" on food/drink.
- HFCS may be at the root of our obesity and diabetes crises
- Most corn is genetically modified, extremely fossil fuel intensive, and degrades huge amounts of land.
- Enormous taxpayer subsidies for corn crops are better spent on sustainable answers.
- More: www.sustainabletable.org/704/high-fructose-corn-syrup-if-this-doesn-t-convince-you-nothing-wil
b) Drink preferably from glass (or ceramic), and preferably reusable. Best to carry your own non-plastic bottle from home. Besides plastic being non-sustainable, chemicals from plastic leach into drinks.
c) Suggestions: Tap water, lemon water, tea, 100% juice.
(More under FOOD/WATER - right column)
#2) Read labels on foods and goods:
- Avoid products that say "antimicrobial" on the label - or ingredients that include "antimicrobials" and "triclosan" (e.g., soaps, cleaners).
- Is the product (or the packaging) recycled content, and able to be recycled?
- Also, free-range, local, grass-fed meat is best.
Next steps:
- Which product has the least ingredients and less processed ingredients (things you can't pronounce quickly)?
- Can you tell if the food or product is locally made or grown (how close)?
- Is it chemical-free, including no pesticides and herbicides?
- At the food store, try to find only ingredient labels that don't include high fructose corn syrup (it's very hard at a mini-mart).
- Try to find only recyclable packaging (non-plastic is even harder).
- Later, check "made in/packaged in" label to see if you can find items as close to your town as possible.
- Note how many items contain the useless & harmful antimicrobials - on the front label and the ingredients.
(More under FOOD/WATER and PRODUCTS - right column)
#3) Label "garbage cans" as "landfill" (do it or imagine it when pitching garbage: Avoid throwing anything away. Use 100% recycled content toilet paper.
Next steps:
- Compost biodegradables (anything that would fall apart within a week or so in the rain). Just throw in a bin or find a spot on your lawn - nothing fancy required.
- Use rags/torn clothes and cloth towels instead of paper towels.
- Avoid disposables or extra packaging when purchasing/dining. If disposables can't be avoided, use recycled content.
- Pack lunch - and use reusable containers.
- Use cloth bags instead of paper or even before using recyclable plastic bags. Recycling is the "landfill" of environmentalism - - REDUCE first; if you can't, then REUSE; if you can no longer reuse, then recycle. Washable cloth bags are better than using a plastic bag once and recycling it.
- To go even farther, find ways to avoid putting anything in a recycle bin.
(More under PRODUCTS - right column)
#4) Vote / Network: Pop into a gathering of a local environmental group or political campaign (more fun than it sounds) - even just for a short time.
Next steps:
- Around voting time, Google "League of Conservation Voters" for sustainability scorecards for many politicians. (Also, truly green-minded politicians are usually best for World Peace issues, too).
- Go on a nature hike and ask the leader about local environmental concerns, or volunteering for field work.
- Get more involved or volunteer with a political campaign (you don't have to be old enough to vote), sustainability group, system change group, or event (See "Trusted Resources" under the categories in the next line).
(More under SYSTEM CHANGE, NATURE, and PROJECTS/EVENTS - right column)
#5) Be aware of electricity and fuel use: Notice when you and others use electricty.
Next steps:
- At night, or when leaving home, turn off computers and unplug stuff not being used. If an item has a little light on, it is still using power, even if turned off. (Power strips can help multiple-item shutdowns easy.)
- Is every light bulb in your home/office a CFL or LED? Check twice.
- Avoid heating and especially cooling. Save gas the less you use. Turn down/off the heating/cooling everywhere you go.
- Notice how many refrigerated soda pop machines are running, EVERYWHERE. Notice any other wasteful fossil fuel use?
- For your next car, consider an inexpensive used hybrid car (e.g. on www.Autotrader.com).
- Drive better: 55-60 mph or below, accelerate slowly, glide to stop, slow up hills, drive less (bike, walk, carpool).
(More under ENERGY - right column)
PS on "abundant health":
a) Any Google search shows the answer for "natural cures", weight loss, and beauty tips is always "leafy greens". Raw greens from the local market are an easy snack on the run.
b) One day a week without meat means being vegetarian 1/7th of your life, benefitting health, climate change, water and land.
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