Tag Archives: recycling

General Safety Issues

TODAY IS EARTH DAY – ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART TO KEEP IT “GREEN?”

Origin of Earth Day

In the 1960s, there were many concerns about the awareness regarding the environment among Americans. During this period, U.S senator and environmentalist, Gaylord Nelson, tried to galvanize the conservation movement through the appropriate creation of a national celebration.

Nelson made many efforts in the Congress to pass legislation to protect the popular Appalachian Trail. He also tried to pass a legislation to ban the use of DDT. In order to organize the first Earth Day, Nelson sought some help from Denis Hayes, who was a graduate of Harvard University.

The first Earth Day was celebrated on 22nd April, 1970. It was specifically designed as an environmental awareness program. Its aim was to educate participants about the importance of conserving the environment. In 1990, Denis Hayes organized a global Earth Day. It was observed in more than 140 countries by 200 million persons. 

Every year on April 22, over a billion people in 190 countries take action for Earth Day. From San Francisco to San Juan, Beijing to Brussels, Moscow to Marrakesh, people plant trees, clean up their communities, contact their elected officials, and more—all on behalf of the environment.Like Earth Days of the past, Earth Day 2014 will focus on the unique environmental challenges of our time. As the world’s population migrates to cities, and as the bleak reality of climate change becomes increasingly clear, the need to create sustainable communities is more important than ever. Earth Day 2014 will seek to do just that through its global theme: Green Cities. With smart investments in sustainable technology, forward-thinking public policy, and an educated and active public, we can transform our cities and forge a sustainable future. Nothing is more powerful than the collective action of a billion people. 

Forty-four years ago, Earth Day began. Great strides have been made through technology by improving water quality, air quality, and recycling. We still have a long way to go, and if you haven’t done your part to make our earth a cleaner place, start today.

  • Dispose of old computers  through the correct channels, as the monitors contain materials that are very harmful.
  • There are ways to destroy personal information by use of shredders. Professional shredding companies contract with hospitals and other businesses to safely remove old paper records.
  • Ride a bike to work, or just simply for the exercise.
  • Teach your children to know the difference between recycling materials and those that we simply toss away.
  • Plastic bottles, plastic grocery sacks are hard on our environment; take reusable bags to the grocery stores,
  • Drink water from a glass rather than a plastic bottle. There are washable cups with lids that you can carry your coffee, tea, or water with you while away from the house.
  • Carry a sack with you when you go for a walk, and pick up debris that others have simply tossed aside.
  • Help keep our lakeshores clean.
  • Plant a tree.

There are so many ways each one of us can do our part, and those small tasks can help improve our little corner of the world.  If everyone would do the same, and businesses would make every effort to comply with environmental laws, what an even greater earth it would be!

For more ideas or to volunteer to help spread the word, check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website.

Source:  Earth Day Network; Earth Day 2014

 

General Safety Issues

WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR FAMILY’S CARBON FOOTPRINTS (GUEST POST)

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 Sent to us by Anne Laurie, of GoNannies.com, this post contains several blogs that you will find interesting and return from time to time to review different ones. 

As information about climate change and the damage it could cause continues to be discovered, more and more families are realizing the importance of managing and minimizing their carbon footprint. Making a difference in the health of the planet by making a conscious effort to reduce the ecological impact that your household has is the socially responsible, ethical thing to do. These 30 blogs all feature posts underlining the importance of that task, and offer tips, hints and tricks for turning your family a bit greener.

Energy-Efficient Home Improvements

Not only will energy-efficient upgrades to your home help the planet, they’ll also save your wallet each month by translating into noticeable reductions in energy costs. These five blog entries detail some of the upgrades you can make to turn your home into one that has less of an ecological impact, and will also cost less to maintain.

Sustainable Dietary Habits

Making changes to your dietary habits is an effective way of reducing your carbon footprint while also enjoying healthier, more wholesome foods. These five blog posts detail not only the importance of sustainable eating, but also include tips for how to make the switch with your family.

Recycling and Repurposing

The environment created inside a landfill is one that’s typically anaerobic due to how tightly garbage is compacted. The lack of oxygen in this environment means that even biodegradable refuse may not break down properly, which is one of the reasons why recycling is so important. Repurposing items that you might ordinarily discard can also help you save money, and will keep them out of your local landfill.

Transportation

Changing the way that your family commutes to work, school and activities is a small but significant step in the direction of ecological responsibility. Carpooling, participating in ride share programs, and utilizing mass transit are all viable alternatives to driving a car with one or two occupants, and these changes do make a difference. These five bloggers discuss their experiences and share their knowledge about earth-friendly transportation.

Reducing Waste

While keeping garbage out of landfills and managing your family’s carbon footprint is of vital importance, learning to manage and reduce your waste as a group is a great way to instill the importance of green living in children, teaching them responsible practices that they’ll remember in adulthood.

Teaching Kids Earth-Friendly Habits

It’s important for families to reduce their carbon footprints as a household, but it’s also important that kids learn the necessity of living an environmentally-responsible life as they grow up. Good habits start when children are still quite small, and these five bloggers tackle the issue of imparting green values to little ones.

We hope you will have time to check some of these blogs out, as they all contain helpful information to keep our planet cleaner and more safe. Pat