A Happy Planet

There are a lot of things one can do in order to reduce their carbon footprint. There are certain routines that we can all get in the better habit of and here is my list of proactive simple acts we can take to better this planet that we've all learned to call our home!

1. It's best to just refrain from littering!

I do my best with this one, but every now and again I slip up. But considering the info below makes me want to be better all of the time.

This is an important simple act that anyone of us can do. There are trash cans all over the city! There's no reason for us to be so lazy to walk the twenty feet it takes to dispose of trash. That trash not only damages our land, but a lot of it travels to the oceans as well. It's terribly sad.

~There are reports all over the world where dead sea birds are scattered on beaches with water bottle caps, lipstick casings, and other forms of plastic in their stomachs. You can look it up. It happens all too often. It pollutes our animals and our oceans.~

~I'm sure you've all seen parking lots littered with Starbucks, plastic bags, half-emptied bottles, empty beer bottles, and the list goes on. I know that I have seen my fair share of crap all over town (especially since I live in Los Angeles). Sometimes, I've even gone so far as to clean the trash that isn't mine because, well, this planet is important!~

~I need to leave a message here just for the smokers of the world! There are a lot of disgusting toxins in cigarette filters (there is no judgment here, as I am currently a smoker myself). Here is a statistic, though. More than one-third of reported litter happens to be cigarette butts. It's become all too common to dispose of cigarettes on the ground or out of the car that over 75% of smokers report doing it! The bottom line is that cigarette waste is toxic! There are toxins that will seep out of cigarette butts after they are put out such as arsenic and lead, etc. into the environment and can contaminate the water. These toxins can also poison animals and fish. Plus, they are not bio-degradable meaning that they will not break down organically.~

2. We should all get in the habit of Recycling!

Admittedly, I could definitely improve on this and I'm going to make a bigger effort for the rest of my life so that I can pass this knowledge onto my children.

Also very important! There are many reasons why recycling is so important.

-It prevents pollution!

~It prevents the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, it saves energy, and it generates less solid waste. All in all, it reduces the pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials.~

-It reduces the need to produce new and raw materials!

~This prevents pollution, saves energy, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to Global Climate Change.~

-It saves us all money!

~It makes collection programs more efficient. It will actually reduce the cost of garbage collection. An increased recycling rate will lower garbage volumes and revenue from recyclable materials can provide you with substantial cost savings for businesses and households, alike.~

-It saves energy.

~You have the power to reduce and eliminate the need for the world to make new materials from scratch. When recycled materials are used instead of using new resources, manufactures can save not only energy, but also their expense.~

-It reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

~Recycling helps reduce energy consumption which, in turn, helps avoid greenhouse gas (Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Noxtrious Oxide, etc.) emissions that would result from extracting or mining virgin materials.~

-It reduces the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills.

~Landfills take up valuable space. Reducing the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills means that we are reducing the need to build more landfills which are a source of air and water pollution. Not to mention that we would also be preserving our resources.~

-It allows products to be used to their fullest extent.

~This is good for pretty much all of the above. Prevents pollution, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves energy and money, etc.~

3. Reducing the need to drive!

I actually don't have my license still because, well, other drivers kinda terrify me... just a little. But especially since I live in the big city of Los Angeles, I haven't really felt too comfortable with it. I've seen lots of craziness over here. When I do get in the passenger seat, though, it's usually for a family thing or appointment or shopping. Just the general life stuff and only on the weekends.

-Look for alternatives to driving.

~When possible, it's best to walk or ride your bike. When you do get in the car, though, try having a passenger or two (I know that this isn't always possible, but multiple people in a car or on a bus greatly reduce Co2 emissions by spreading them out over many riders).~

-Your driving style makes a difference!

~Speeding and unnecessary acceleration waste money and gas and, ultimately increase your carbon footprint.~

-Tire inflation and other tunings...

~Properly inflated tires improve your gas mileage by up to 3%. It also helps to have the correct grade motor oil for your car and to keep your engine tuned because some maintenance fixes such as repairing faulty oxygen sensors can actually increase fuel efficiency by up to 40%.~

4. The world needs more trees!

I had raised fifty dollars for this cause during my birthday. 50 Trees Planted! And I plan on volunteering in the near future as well. I also started purchasing products (like toilet paper and paper towels) that are made from bamboo instead of trees.

-Donate when able!

~There is this wonderful group that I support full-heartedly: One Planted Tree. They have a lot of info on their website like the fact that almost 50% of all our planets' trees have been cut down! That's insane! Trees give us clean air to breathe and water to drink. They also provide homes for a lot of wildlife creatures. Just $1 will plant one tree. How little or how much you donate would be totally us to you, of course, but every little bit helps. Here's a link to their website:

-It's also great to volunteer and help on the front lines!

~This group, One Planted Tree plants trees all over the world. Just look at their website to see if they need help near you. You can start a fundraiser or become a tree ambassador. See where help is needed and join the party! Here's the link to their exact page:

~Lastly, I want to mention that it's important to find products that aren't made from trees. Let's be real here, we need all the trees we have left and then some in order to continue our survival for much longer on this planet!

This list only names a few of the ways that you can truly help the survival of this planet (and, yes, I am definitely included in that group!). Writing this piece was great because I learned a lot of new information with all the research I looked into that I hadn't previously considered or understood, even. There are obviously many more things available to us so that we can all reduce our carbon footprints, but I hope that this list was helpful to you all. I know that it definitely got me thinking!

Let's work together and restore this planet, our home, to greatness!

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what I wrote, please, consider giving me a heart. I'd really appreciate it :)