Families Have Positive Power

The news about the environment has been decidedly grim. Every where I turn I am confronted by deforestation, water pollution, trash, climate change, etc. Sometimes it seems like these problems are irreversible. But I know that with proper motivation, the habits that cause these environmental problems can be changed. But we can't wait for government or gigantic corporations to take the initial steps. Individual citizens must act first.

Everyone has the power to improve the environment through conservation and making environmentally-sound choices. When families "go green" they affect positive change in their local communities, and this change has global results. Here are some economical and easy ways that your family can adopt a "green" lifestyle:

RECYCLING
This basic practice is vital to decreasing your family’s negative impact on the Earth. Set up containers in your home to collect and sort aluminum, glass, plastic, paper, and cardboard. If your recycling pickup does not cover all of these recyclables, deliver what remains to your local recycling plant yourself. Fruit and vegetable waste can be recycled by turning it into compost. Your family can even recycle clothing, books, furniture, and electronics that you no longer use by donating them to charity. Recycling all of these products will drastically decrease the amount of trash that your family contributes to the dump.

WATER CONSERVATION
Use only as much water as you need by taking shorter showers, turning the water off while brushing your teeth, adding a brick to your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water that fills the bowl, making sure that you turn on the dishwasher and washing machine only after you have a full load, and not running your sprinklers during the heat of the day when much of the water evaporates. These simple steps will save hundreds of gallons of water per year.

POWER CONSERVATION
Reduce the amount of fossil fuel your family consumes by conserving electricity. Turn off all lights, fans, TVs, radios, etc. when you leave a room. Keep your air conditioning up or your heat down when you are not at home. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps), and when it is time to replace an appliance, purchase one that is an "energy saver."

GASOLINE CONSERVATION
Proper tire pressure, an empty trunk, and a properly maintained vehicle will provide greater gas mileage, but to reduce the amount of gasoline that your family consumes, plan your day’s excursions to ensure that you are taking the most fuel efficient route. Walk or ride a bike to those places that are nearby. You can eliminate your use of fossil fuel entirely by running your diesel-engine vehicle on biodiesel, which is produced from recycled vegetable oil, and has significantly lower emissions than fossil fuels. Go to www.biodiesel.org for information on purchasing biodiesel in your community.