By: Sarah Zitin

Why is it more important than ever to go green? Scientists have warned us that the tipping point for planet devolution is close to the edge. With ice shelves melting in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland, the dangers of sea water rise are happening in countries around the world. If the climate warms 2 degrees higher, the tipping point will have already happened. In the United States, alone, the southern coasts of Florida and Louisiana will be underwater, as will New York City, Mexico and the southern part of California.

We don’t have time to ignore these dire warning signs. On the other hand, what’s the upside of this reality? We can all do something about it. We are all significant when it comes to climate change, and if we all do our part in reducing our negative habits, choices and practices, we can make a big difference in the future.

What, you may ask, can you do? Start by educating yourself about what’s happening in the world, from climate change to the economy to personal responsibility for the Earth we inhabit. The natural world is waiting for us to get with the program of containing our rapidly declining forests and animal habitats. Every habit we have in terms of living sustainably may have to be reorganized and reinvented. 

1. 1. Recycle everything recyclable. From glass, to wood, to metal, to anything not plastic or recyclable, remember to put them in the correct bin. Your choices matter!
   2. Reuse whatever you can instead of throwing it away and buying another. Clothing is the perfect example. You don’t need to buy new clothing. Shop resale, learn to sew, be creative with your wardrobe.
   3. No Plastic use is the only way to go. There are so many alternatives today to using plastic. 
   4. Reduce your carbon footprint in every way you can. Drive less, get a bike or an ebike, walk more, take public transportation or carpool.
   5. Support local businesses that are eco-friendly. Buy farmer’s market produce, buy local products whenever possible.
   6. Conserve water as if your life depended on it, because it does. With drought happening all over the world, this is a resource without which there is no life. Be a conscious consumer!
   7. Buy sustainable products whenever and wherever you can. This creates a chain of sustainability throughout the system.
   8. Plant trees, bushes, flowers and save the bees. Bees are the pollinating source of all life. Trees capture carbon in the environment and create oxygen.
   9. Consume less energy like lighting, air conditioning and heat, anything that plugs in like computers, televisions, and more – keep them off unless in use.
   10. Composting is excellent for chickens and a great way to reuse food to nourish the Earth. It’s cleaner and more efficient than throwing food scraps away.

These are only a few of the ways in which we can conserve and protect our resources. Not only are you making a contribution to Mother Earth, but you also save money in the long run. Being conscious is much easier on the pocketbook, so that’s an added benefit of protecting the environment. It may seem like an impossible task to be conscious every day of how you use energy and water, among other things, but every little thing makes a difference, and if everyone participated, can you imagine how quickly the environment would change?

If you need a place to begin, start using less water. Shower in less time, reuse water that can be, get a gray water tank which recycles water in your own home, turn lights off and buy LED lighting which uses less power, eat leftovers, compost your food for animals and planting, be more mindful in the home of overall energy use. These are simple things you can do on a daily basis. It matters!

In the kitchen, use cloth towels instead of paper, as the trees need our support as much as anything. Toaster broken? Instead of buying a new one, see if it can be fixed. This is part of our attempt to reuse instead of being a part of our consumer culture that buys without thinking of the environment.

Tired of your clothing? Try to buy recycled, reused or repurposed clothing online. It saves you a drive and is more eco-friendly than transportation. There is a new “thing,” where friends have clothing jams/parties and buy or receive clothing from friends, like a clothing swap. It can be permanent or just for an occasion, but it’s practical and wasteless.

Read labels on everything you buy. Avoid toxic products or those that damage the environment, like the ingredients in makeup, hair, skin and cleaning products. It used to be that the eco-friendly products were more expensive, but with inflation at an all-time high, it’s no longer true and everything is expensive. Spend your money wisely. 

And finally, don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the need to change your habits. Start small – a little consciousness a day goes a long way. It isn’t necessary to tackle everything at once because then failure is possible; start small and build up to the next eco-friendly task every day. Nothing is too big to handle as long as it serves people, animals and the planet. Educate your children in the ways of living sustainably, as they will be the leaders of the future. They will learn by your example and will carry the torch for generations to come.