Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22nd. It’s a great day to reflect on how we can help restore and sustain this beautiful planet that we all rely upon. Here are a few simple ways we can honor the place we all call home every day of the year:
· Recycle. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans as a whole produce more than 200 million tons of garbage per year. The sad fact is that most us have access to either curbside recycling or drop off recycling centers but far too few are using this important community service. If you are not already utilizing your community’s recycling program, investigate it and do your part to help. You’ll be amazed at how much you can recycle and how little actually must go to the landfill.
· Conserve electricity. Turn off lights and other electronics when you leave the room. Install a programmable thermostat which not only saves energy but also saves money on your heating and cooling bills. Turn down the temperature on your water heater.
· Conserve water. Check your home for water leaks. One way to check is to look at your water meter and note the reading. Next, tell everyone in your household not to use water for 2 hours or so. Check the meter again and if it has changed then you likely have a leak. Anything from dripping faucets and toilets to an actual leak in a pipe could be the cause. Another way to conserve is to install showerheads that use less water and take shorter showers in general. Also, if you have automatic sprinklers, make sure they are well maintained and pointed in the right direction. In other words, you’re not watering the concrete instead of your grass.
There are so many things we all could be doing to make this world a better place. It just takes a little effort and soon it just becomes part of your daily routine. Let’s make every day Earth Day!