Happy Earth Day

 “Mother Earth is very near to man. From her we get food; upon her we lie down. We live and walk on her. We could not exist without Mother Earth.” (Katharine Berry Judson)

Hello, my lovely friends!

    Happy Earth Day! I always remember this day because it's my Mom's birthday as well. In honor of Earth Day I thought I'd post something that you can do to make the Earth a little bit better than what it was yesterday.


Here are some things I found that you can do to help Mother Earth out.
1. Swap out your light bulbs. Why? Compact florescent light bulbs use less energy than regular old light bulbs to provide the same amount of light, and last up to ten times longer. They also save money in energy costs. Another reason these bulbs are super cool is that they generate less heat than other bulbs; making home cooling costs significantly less in the summer. How? It's easy! Most stores are carrying them now, right next to the old kind of light bulbs.


2. Plant a tree or three. With Arbor Day (April 29th) just around the corner from Earth Day (April 22nd), this is your chance to practice planting a fruit tree or any other kind of tree! Why? Trees remove CO2 from the air and help fight global warming. They produce oxygen, give us shade in the summer, and provide a home for your neighborhood birds. Need another reason? Plant a fruit-bearing tree and you'll have a yummy reward for doing so! How? Check out your local nursery. They will be able to help you pick one out and give you planting advice. Within a few years you may have enough shade to drastically reduce your home cooling costs and some tasty fruit to boot!


3. Curb your junk mail. This not only saves tons of paper, but you'll save time by not having to fish through a sea of junk mail to find your personal mail and birthday cards! How? Pull out the pre-paid stamped envelope in your junk mail, write "please remove" on the envelope and send it back to them - on their dime. In the long run it helps everyone -- they don't have to pay for future mailings and you are no longer buried in piles of junk mail.


4. Turn off lights and unplug cell phone chargers. This one couldn't be simpler. Walk around your house, notice any unnecessary lights that are on and turn them off. Don't forget to unplug cell phone chargers, mp3 player chargers, etc. Your chargers are using electricity even though your electronic devices are not connected to them.


5. Try doing "conscious" laundry. Instead of saving those piles of laundry for your Saturday or Sunday afternoon, do it at night when energy costs are lower. If you have to do laundry during the day try hanging your clothes outside in natures dryer. Also try some eco-friendly laundry products.


6. Drive the speed limit. This one may be the hardest one. Driving the speed limit increases your miles per gallon, in turn saving you dollars at the pump. You can also minimize unnecessary miles by stacking errands in one trip. This just takes a little bit of planning, but with rising gas prices your wallet will thank you!


7. Carry your own water bottle. Reduce the amount of plastic water bottle waste in the world by carrying your own. Stainless steel and polycarbonate drinking bottles are both non-toxic and super-durable. 

 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope your morning/afternoon/evening is extra cozy and delightful. Until our paths cross again!