The Earth is beautiful and the only planet able to sustain life. Unfortunately, we have not been as kind to the planet as we should be. It’s time to take a closer look at our actions and see how influential our day-to-day lives are on our ecosystems and environments. With a few small changes and more awareness, you can contribute to keeping our planet a beautiful place to live.
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1. Ditch Plastic
It’s no secret that plastic is terrible for our planet. It takes ages to decompose and is used so frequently in daily life that it’s building up in our oceans and natural environments. From animals mistaking plastic items for food, to massive patches of plastic waste blocking sunlight from reaching primary producers in marine food chains, the amount of plastic we are consuming is destroying the Earth.
There are many ways to cut back your use of plastic. Choosing reusable products made of metal or glass instead of single use plastic products, is a great place to start. Think about how many plastic bags you receive every time you go grocery shopping. Each bag can take up to 500 years to degrade in a landfill. By simply bringing reusable bags with you when shopping, you can eliminate tons of unnecessary plastic waste. Water bottles, silverware, coffee cups and so many more items are produced in single use plastic options. But, by choosing a reusable item made from an eco-friendly material you can reduce your consumption of unnecessary plastics and the amount of unnatural materials in our ecosystem.
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2. Eat More Plants
A plant-based diet can be beneficial for your body and is also extremely beneficial for the environment! The production of plant foods requires much fewer natural resources than animal products. The production and consumption of animal products can give off high amounts of greenhouse gases and increase the size of your carbon footprint. Even if you can’t fully commit to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, by trying to swap out some animal products in your diet for more plant-based foods, you can have a positive impact on our planet! Food is such an important part of our lives and knowing where our food is coming from and how it will impact us and the world around us is extremely important. The Earth and your body will thank you!
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3. Support Eco-Friendly Brands
When shopping today there are so many options of where to buy items from. Some items and brands are more beneficial for our environment than others. Always check your items to see if you can recycle the packaging, if it was tested on animals or if that can of tuna fish is “dolphin safe”. In addition, many companies will now donate a portion of their proceeds towards worthy causes. By purchasing from brands that support environmental causes you can contribute to their bigger mission of improving our environment!