In commemoration of Earth Hour where every charitable soul shuts off the power for one hour, I’d like to submit Joseph Plazo’s super tips for making the earth live a tad longer:

We’re bleeding hearts.  Off the bat, each of us would love to help the environment, revitalize the planet’s dazzling beauty, and generally recreate paradise on earth. It warms the cockles of my heart each time a lone Greenpeace environmentalist faces down a gargantuan oil tanker. We need more of that breed.

In practice, it’s a different story. The average Joe rarely enjoys the time or energy to participate in community projects, join Greenpeace, fight corporate polluters, or impose dramatic lifestyle changes. We desire to help, but with everything going on in our lives, tree-saving ends up on the back burner. 

Nonetheless, doing our bit to soothe the environment can be easy, practical, and accumulative. We can rally forth in little ways, making gradual changes day by day.

Starting today.

Here’s what I’d do to soothe the aches of poor Mother Earth.

Purchase goods that endure, even if they cost more: Long-life bulbs, UL- certified electronics and products with meaningful warrantees don’t pummel Mother Earth as badly as shoddy Chinese products that often end up in landfills. I say go for quality goods, not lower purchase price.

 

Choose items that have already been recycled: That’s right: recycled, not recyclable, it’ll say so right there on the label. Most earth-friendly consumables can be composed of 70% reused wastes such as printer paper, laser toner, urethane paint, toilet paper, and garbage bags. And while you’re looking for the ‘recycled’ logo, look for the ‘not tested on animals’ one as well.

 

·  Buy energy-efficient lights, insulation and appliances : Everything from refrigerators to TVS come with those cheery little tags bearing a number. Higher numbers mean lower electrical expenditures. That’s what you want. Not only do you pollute less, your power bills go down.

 

·  Turn off the tap: Most folks leave the water running while shaving or brushing the teeth. Do that for a year and you could have filled ten Olympic sized swimming pools. Imagine all the thirsty Sudanese you could have helped. And for the love of God don’t hose down your driveway , use a #%@%#$ broom!

 

·  Buy non-fossil fuel energy: That stuff you load into your car reeks. Composed of the bones of dinosaurs and your ancestors, it contains enough compounds to punch holes into the ozone layer and fry the skin off your back. That’s definitely not good for the skin tone. Try those new electric cars. And power your home with biomass.

 ·  Trash the toxic cleaners, herbicides and pesticides: Most of the stuff you check at the counter bloats our landfills and waterways with chemicals that you won’t feed your worst enemy. Did you realize all that gunk ultimately reaches the very same dams you drink your water from. Be kind. Use only biodegradable detergents 

Stop and think about it… did that look so difficult? A slight change in habit will lift our planet’s environmental burdens. Now just imagine all of us doing this. It’s up to you to bring Eden back to Earth.