Barely a day seems to go by without another report highlighting the fear of a climate catastrophe within the foreseeable future. It’s obviously concerning to listen and read up about the upcoming dangers, and all the more so because what is happening is happening at such a macro level that there is very little an individual can do about it. We can listen to what people with power say and hope that what they do will have an impact, but the future of the planet is not in our hands.
This, however, does not mean that we shouldn’t do our part to make things easier on the Earth. Enough of us doing what we can to keep our corners free from waste can add up to a substantial improvement. With enough effort from enough corners, we will be able to keep a healthy planet for longer and potentially hand the world over to our kids and grandkids with some hope. And in the meantime, what we do can also be of significant benefit to our own health. The below tips should be of some assistance to anyone who desires to make a green impact on our world.
Try not to buy what you can’t reuse or recycle.
Different areas have different approaches to recycling, but in many places it’s possible to recycle cardboard, glass, most types of plastic, and paper. It’s worth checking up on what your city allows in this regard and then modifying your shopping habits accordingly. Some things you won’t be able to recycle – and for those, it is worth considering whether they can be reused (as a container for loose small items, for example, or as a small bin in which to deposit scraps when cooking).
This approach has dual benefits, as you will discover the longer you keep doing it. The recycling element is a good thing in itself – leading to less waste in landfills and less energy being used to manufacture new materials. Reuse is also more impactful than you might imagine, as it means there will be fewer unrecyclable elements in outdoor garbage. It will also allow you to keep hold of miscellaneous items (such as screws, for example), which can be used in building…
Habitats for wildlife
Among the biggest concerns for our planet is the increasing scarcity of liveable environments for animals. Those who question the value of these animals or the merit of concerns over extinction miss out on the key point that our planet is an ecosystem, and the more species it loses, the more its balance is endangered. One classic example of this is with the threat to bee populations from issues such as colony collapse disorder. If there are not sufficient bees in a space, then plants will not get pollinated, and this can lead to crop failure.
The long and short of it is that if you encourage wildlife to make homes nearby to you, they’ll benefit the local ecosystem. Hedgehog homes, bird feeders, and bee houses are a few examples of things you can construct to keep your local habitat green. As this list of inspiring tree quotes about growth shows, when you allow your local area to grow, you’ll make it a healthier, happier, and more interesting place to be.
Every cloud has a silver lining – in more ways than one.
Although many people equate rain with spoiled plans, there are benefits to rainfall near your home; for one thing, it directly waters your plants, and with clean water that isn’t packed with chemical deposits. Another benefit is that you can set up a rain butt in your garden, which can then be drawn upon for a wealth of different uses. On sunnier days, it can be the source of water for your plants, but it can also be useful inside the home as an alternative to tap water.
While appliances will, for the most part, still need to draw on the main water supply, there can be advantages to using nature’s gift water to wash vegetables before cooking. It usually won’t be reliably drinkable (thanks mostly to birds flying overhead), but for most other purposes that require the use of water, a rainwater butt can be a huge benefit.
There’s never a bad time to plant a tree.
There is one thing that is guaranteed to have a positive effect on the planet and its climate: trees. And while it’s going to take at least a few billion newly planted trees to have the benefit the planet needs, there’s no reason you can’t start with one or two!
Planting trees in your garden or nearby is useful on a smaller and a larger level alike. As the trees grow, they will provide shade, keeping your home cooler and potentially saving on air conditioning. They absorb pollution of more than one kind – they’re known to be an excellent noise buffer, as well as pulling in air pollution and putting out carbon dioxide. They’re also an excellent defense against flooding. Planting one or two trees in your garden – as a start – is a wise move and could influence others to do the same.
In order for the world to get the green boost it needs, it will take more than a few of us to make the changes above so that the world can regulate temperature and pollution can begin to roll back. However, even on a domestic level, one person making changes can realize benefits for themselves and for others – and can provide plenty of inspiration for those around them to follow suit and increase the benefit. At the very least, it’s a good start.
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