Have you seen the state of our planet lately? 15,000 scientist have just put humanity on warning, giving us notice to change our habits. We are slowly killing our planet by encouraging global warming and mass extinction of different animal species and if you think there is nothing you can do about, you are completely wrong!

What we can - and must - do boils down to three words: Make. Better. Choices. -Colby Loucks | Deputy Director of the Wildlife Conservation Program 

Now I get that you, yourself, are not able to change the future of our planet but if we all work together to make small, meaningful changes in our everyday lives, it will add up to big impact.

I have created a list of 9 small ways you can do YOUR part to help save our planet and although they may seem redundant to some, are you actually practicing them yourself?



SHOPPING | Shopping, spending money and creating trash has become America's favorite past time and if we could find something fun and meaningful to occupy ourselves than spending a day at the mall, we could greatly reduce our impact on the environment and our bank account. And, for the love of Earth, stop using plastic bags!

LIGHTS OUT | Turn the lights off when you leave the room, use LED bulbs, unplug unused devices and cords and set Christmas lights on a timer! Reduce your power consumption!

AIR DRY | On summer days, or any day above freezing, hang your clothes out to dry! This will save you money on your power bill and reduces your impact on the environment! The dryer is most likely the most consuming appliance in the house, start there!

WALK IT | If you need to run to the corner store, make it special and take the dog. Leave your automobile at home occasionally and try using public transit. Our kids LOVE when we take an urban adventure on the city bus to run errands!

BRING YOUR OWN UTENSILS | Single use spoons, forks, and straws are everyday items we can easily swap out for reusable metal ones and chances are, you already have these at home! Consider bringing a reusable straw with you or leaving it in your vehicle when eating out. "Do you need a straw?" No, no you don't!

THRIFT IT | When you find yourself needing a new item of clothing, home appliance or anything for the home, consider shopping at your community thrift store or online classifieds like Craigslist or Kijiji rather than buying new. Giving this item a second chance a life discourages more new items from being manufactured. Most likely, they will work just as well. Personally, I find thrifted items to have more charm and they generally are made with longevity and durability in mind, unlike the way items are made today.

MEND IT | Vintage skills are a long lost art that are easy to learn. Simply sewing on a new button or mending a hole in your jeans rather than tossing them will teach you how to be resourceful, save you cash and teach you to take responsibility for your belongings. If in doubt on how to mend an item of clothing, or repair a household appliance, YouTube has millions of helpful videos waiting to be watched!

GO WITHOUT | When shopping for a new item you feel you need, wait two weeks and then evaluate if you even actually needed it or if the desire to purchase it is still there. If this item is useful and brings you joy, then by all means, add it to your life! This can be incredibly difficult in the world of convenience and Amazon Prime, but helps you to figure out if it is something you actually want or need.

UNSUBSCRIBE | Contact your local newspaper or magazine provider and unsubscribe from their print of you aren't reading it each week. If you are a loyal reader, opt for their digital subscriptions and read it online.

Sources:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-state-of-our-planet