Environmentally-Friendly Tips

How You can Help Keep Our Earth Healthy and Green

Pollution and waste cost lots of money. However, there are tips to save money and the environment. Reducing the ecological footprint should be a goal for everyone.

There are various ways to save. Being smart with money not only keeps more of it in your pocket, but can be eco-friendly too. For example, instead of purchasing batteries that die fast, invest in rechargeable ones. One rechargeable battery is equivalent to 100 single batteries and will quickly pay for itself. It is also beneficial to the environment to recycle batteries once they run out of energy, rather than throwing them in the trash and exposing the Earth to their harmful metals.

Another way to reduce your ecological footprint is by repairing dripping faucets. They can waste around 2,700 gallons of water each year. By buying a new washer to be placed inside a faucet, you can save thousands of gallons of water and decrease water bills.

An additional way to save money and help the Earth is by recycling or borrowing from family and friends instead of buying new items. Turning in cans and bottles to a local recycling center is one way to earn money. Recycling and setting cans out for garbage collectors also helps the environment. Waste that is not properly disposed of washes into storm drains and then pollutes rivers, streams, and oceans. Properly disposing of waste also protects wildlife, especially animals who either live in or near bodies of water.

You might be surprised to know that planting trees on the south side of a house is also ecologically friendly. Trees can help both cool and warm homes depending on the season. In the fall and winter, trees lose their leaves which allows sunlight to warm the house. In the summer, leaves provide shade to keep the house cool. In addition, all trees help keep our air clean by producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide.

Reducing the amount of food waste in landfills is as important as saving energy and water. The amount of edible food thrown away each year in the United States is enough to feed 49 million people. If you buy or put more on your plate than you can eat, it will either spoil or go to waste. When it comes to food, think with your stomach, not your eyes.

If you're looking to join the 'green movement,' you can participate with others in Earth Day celebrations on April 22. Getting others involved is better than just participating alone. The more people working to keep the Earth clean, the healthier it will be!

It is impossible to take on all of these tips in a single day, but small steps can and will evolve into giant strides towards a healthier Earth.

[Source: National Geographic Kids ]

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