The recognition of Earth Day began April 22, 1970 to educate the world about the importance of environmental stewardship. And while Earth Day is a time to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment, we should see every day as an opportunity to protect mother earth.
Protecting the environment is easier than you think when you make small changes. Here are five simple steps requiring little time and effort that will make a positive difference in our environment – – so get started now!!
- Water is a precious resource so use it wisely. A simple thing you can do daily is turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth which will save up to eight gallons of water a day (saving 240 gallons a month).
- Change all the bulbs in your house to energy efficient bulbs. Using energy efficient bulbs not only helps the environment but will also reduce your electricity bill. In fact, if everyone American replaced just one light with an Energy Star light, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes a year and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per a year!
- Cut out the plastic in your life as much as possible especially the use of plastic water bottles and plastic bags. It is as simple as using a reusable water container and bringing your own canvas bags to the store when you go shopping.
- Eliminate the amount of mail you receive. Simply sign up for online statements for your bank and credit cards and register to stop receiving junk mail.
- Wash your dishes and clothes when the dishwasher and washing machine are completely full. Also, use all large appliances after 7 p.m. to avoid the peak energy demand hours.
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