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Forty-five years ago, in 1976, Congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to increase recycling and conservation efforts. The mission was clear: Reduce the amount of waste you create; Reuse items that have a future purpose; Recycle whatever you can.
Yes, forty-five years ago, the popular Reduce-Reuse-Recycle slogan was born. And today, decades later, our awareness levels are elevated, yet we still have a global crisis. Our landfills are full, our oceans are polluted, and our air quality is declining. With the enormity of the issue, one might think: I’m only one person. How can I make a difference? The answer might surprise you.
The following is a list of five suggestions everyone should consider for creating a cleaner planet.
1. Ditch plastic bags for reusable containers
Those plastic bags are so darn convenient for our lunch items, storing things, leftovers, and so much more. However, making the switch to reusable containers is one favor we can all do for our planet. According to an article in 1Million Women, plastic bags are among the most prominent displays of our throw-away society. It is reported that only 3 percent of plastic bags are currently recycled, meaning 200,000 bags are dumped in landfills every hour. Even worse, most plastic bags take between 15 and 1000 years to degrade.
Doing your part for a greener world can definitely include ceasing the use of plastic bags and other plastic throw-away containers, including water bottles. Yes, it might take some getting used to, and it might not be as fast and easy. However, according to The Globalist, an average person in North America or Western Europe uses 220 pounds of plastic each year. One plastic bag or water bottle doesn’t look like much, but when you think in terms of a year, 220 pounds of plastic garbage is a lot. What can one person do? They can prevent their annual 220 pounds of plastic debris from ever hitting the landfill.
2. Make your home greener
Housing and other construction across the world consume an enormous amount of resources. While growth is necessary, it should include the development of greener structures that rely on new and developing technologies.
When building a private home, people should consider greener construction such as solar and wind energy. The initial cost to install solar panels or construct a wind turbine might seem pricey. However, these greener energy sources end up paying for themselves quickly and are much better for the environment by eliminating the carbon footprint traditional power sources leave behind.
Hafsa Burt, a green technology architect, says national efforts to decarbonize the electricity sector are in the works, which greatly impacts the construction industry. These efforts are necessary to keep pace with global goals of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Burt adds that we will achieve this goal by designing and building more structures that use zero-carbon technologies, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and nuclear power. So, if you plan to build a new house in the future, think green!
3. Fix that leaky faucet
You don’t have to be a certified plumber to know that a leaky faucet costs you money, never fixes itself, almost always gets worse over time, and wastes fresh water. Let’s do a little math.
Let’s say your leaky faucet drips once every second. That’s 60 drips per minute, 3,600 drips per hour, and 86,400 drips per day. According to Universal Plumbing & Sewer Company, a drop has no uniform amount measurement. However, they say a good average for a drop of water leaking from your faucet equals about ¼ ml. In this case, those 86,400 drips per day equal roughly five gallons of water. Over a month, that’s 150 gallons.
With 2.1 billion people in the world lacking access to safe drinking water, those of us more fortunate can make a difference by doing even small gestures such as repair a dripping faucet.
If you’re geeking out over the math-aspect of leaky faucets, use this
Drip Calculator provided by USGS Science for a Changing World for more information on how much water your drippy faucets waste.
4. Consider electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have come a long way in the past few years. What some considered an industry ‘joke’ not too long ago has soared in popularity. However, innovative technology has provided new ways to make this option affordable and convenient so that more people can purchase electric vehicles.
The obvious advantage of having an EV is the reduction of tailpipe emissions.
Steve Birkett, EV Expert for Findthebestcarprice.com, says, “Electric cars cut out all of your local emissions, so no more guilt while idling on the school run in winter! And EVs can be as clean as the electrical grid you connect to. As the energy mix in your area gets cleaner, your car gets greener!”
According to MIT, electric cars are energy agnostic; they don’t care where their electricity comes from, which leaves you to decide how green your drive will be. You can pull from the existing grid mix that powers your home for an easy power solution. However, you can go a step further to source your energy and support renewable sources by adding solar panels to your roof and battery storage to your home. Birkett says you can even select a community solar electricity purchase program to get as close to zero emissions as possible.
If you own a vehicle, consider an EV for your next purchase. It’s one of the small steps a person can make towards solving larger problems in our world.
5. Replace all your light bulbs with LEDs
According to Solar Electric Power Company, many people are unaware that LED lighting helps reduce carbon emissions. Energy-efficient LED lights are up to 80 percent more efficient than traditional fluorescent and incandescent lights because 95 percent of the energy in LEDs converts to light, with only 5 percent wasted as heat.
If you replace your 84-watt fluorescent bulbs with 36-watt LEDs, you’ll receive the same amount of light, reduce the energy demand from power plants, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, LED lights are brighter and last up to six times longer than other types of lights, reducing the requirement for frequent replacements.
LED lights also contain no toxic elements. Fluorescent strip lights used in many offices contain chemicals such as mercury that contaminate the environment. These types of bulbs also require arrangements with a specialized waste management company for disposal. Switching to LED lighting avoids this cost and spares the environment the toxic waste found in fluorescent bulbs. One person can do a lot of good for the environment by replacing all traditional light bulbs and lighting systems in their home and other spaces with LED lighting.
That’s it!
One person can make a difference when it comes to creating a cleaner, greener world. While you may not be able to control the choices of others, just know that the green decisions you make are important. It’s true—one person can make a difference.
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