Did you realize that we make green choices every day around campus? We recycle our water bottles, recycle all that paper we really shouldn’t have printed out and turn the lights off before we leave for class. Going green has become less of a chore and more of a movement. It’s changed everything from the cars we drive, to the clothes we wear and even the way we look at plastics forever. It’s become much easier for people to buy sustainably without having to put too much thought into it-like picking out the cute, recycled notebooks over the standard spiral notebooks. We want to live greener because like Al Gore so eloquently put it, “it’s an inconvenient truth, that global warming exists and we need to change if we want to save our planet.”
We are already making greener choices, but can you imagine what it would be like if we all took it a step further? We might already be recycling our plastics but what about buying yourself a reusable water bottle instead of buying one every day or instead of driving you car to the mall, taking public transportation or even buying a pair of organic shoes (trust me, there are some fabulous organic shoes out there).
But let’s take this one step at a time. First thing you should do is become aware of your carbon footprint. Think of it as your starting weight before you begin a diet. Global Footprint Network has a great quiz that you can take to measure just how much planets it takes to support your current lifestyle. Here’s the link to the quiz: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/personal_footprint/.
Also, take Temple’s Sustainability Pledge! You know that meter that you see rising out of the corner of your eye when you go to sign into Blackboard? If you haven’t already taken the pledge, take a look at it. There are some simple, Earth friendly changes you can make today.
Living an eco-friendlier future takes baby steps. Anything you do that’s better for the environment is better for you. These series of articles will give you the knowledge and some tips on making 2011 your greenest, most fabulously eco-conscious year yet!
Click here to take Temple’s Sustainability Pledge!
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