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Simple things you can do effortless to help save and preserve our planet
The scale of the challenges facing our Planet, which include not only pollution but also deforestation, desertification and loss of biodiversity, can seem daunting, but we can all do something to change this situation. Small actions if repeated every day by all inhabitants of this planet can contribute in reducing the depletion of resources and living sustainably and help in the fight against climate change.
According to the United Nations climate change is not just the defining issue of our time, but we are also at a defining moment in history. For instance, weather patterns are already changing and will threaten food production. What’s more, sea levels are rising and this could cause catastrophic consequences such as flooding all across the globe. If we do not change the way we live and stop the waste of (limited) resources we risk irreversible damage to major ecosystems and devastating consequences due to climate change.
Saving our Planet Earth is not only the responsibility of all countries but also of all individuals. So the big question is: What can we do to help save the Earth? Surprisingly there are plenty of things we can do in our daily life to help reduce greenhouse gases and our carbon footprint to make a less harmful impact on the environment. Here are 12 simple ways you can help reduce your impact and save our Mother Earth.
Tips
Save water
Increasing temperatures and populations threaten the most precious element on earth, that is to say fresh water, and pose a serious problem to the entire world population. Given that approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is water, how is a water shortage even possible? Is possible because 97.5% of the water present on the planet is seawater which is unfit for human consumption. Then, considering that both populations and temperatures are ever-rising, this means that the freshwater we do have is under severe pressure. Much of the demand for fresh water is driven by agriculture, which accounts approximately for 70% of global freshwater use, and food production will need to grow by 69% by 2035 to feed the growing population. Furthermore, water withdrawal for energy, also used, for example, for cooling power stations, is expected to increase by over 20% in the near future, and this will put further pressure on the reserves of freshwater. Another alarming fact is that according to a Nasa-led study, many of the world’s freshwater sources are being drained faster than they are being replenished.
For all these reasons there is an urgent need to save water and not to waste a single drop of it. So turn off your tap while you brush your teeth. Fix leaky taps too. When taking a shower use the minimum necessary time, and do not let the water running if you are not in. Switching to an efficient shower head will allow you to lather up in less water, which means you will save water and cut your bills. Also washing a full machine load of clothes uses less water and energy than two half-loads. And when cooking steam your food to cut water usage, this method also retains more of the natural nutrients. When watering your garden and outdoor plants do it in the early morning or in the evening to stop water immediately evaporating in sunlight and heat.
Reduce food waste-Eat sustainability
Food production is a major driver of water consumption. What we eat not only influences our health, but also greatly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Farming animals for meat and dairy products, in fact, requires space, huge inputs of water and feed, and the production of residuals causing greenhouse gases.
The expansion of agricultural land for animal feed production, such as soy, represents one of the biggest causes of forest loss. Producing meat creates vastly more carbon dioxide than plants, such as vegetables, grains and legumes.Thus cutting down on meat and dairy products not only reduces your weekly food bills, but also diminishes your impact on the environment.
A very simple tip, which helps in reducing food waste and saving money, is to make a shopping list and buy the food you need weekly only. Stop food going to waste using alternative recipes with leftovers from previous meals, this is another manner to limit food waste. Choosing food from farmers that aim to conserve the natural resources and have as little impact on the land as possible also helps.
Recycle, reuse & compost your waste
Recycling is a good method to save resources and contribute to protecting our planet by reducing pollution. It is estimated that more than 50% of our waste gets sent to landfill or burnt in incinerators, both releasing planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. Thus it is much better to recycle, reuse what can be reused, and compost. If we recycle what we can, we reduce the amount of new materials we are making, and what’s more, upcycling represents a creative way to make old items into something more valuable. This could be reusing a jam jar as a candle holder, or using old cans as plant pots – the possibilities are endless when you use your imagination.
You can help just by putting your soda can or bottle of plastic (or glass) in the recycling bin. It really does make a difference. These materials can be reused. A staggering 8 million plus tons ends up in the ocean every year. Break the cycle. Stop buying bottled water (plastic bottles). Say no to plastic shopping bags and use durable bags instead. Don’t use plastic straws. Drink from a reusable cup. Paper, too, is recyclable so please use the proper bin.
To help you can also buy products that are made of recycled materials. It all makes a difference. Use your purchasing power and make sure your choices and money goes towards positive change. By supporting and buying eco-friendly products you’re encouraging companies to source and produce their products in a sustainable way.
Composting, which should be used more, is a method for treating solid waste in which organic material is broken down by microorganisms in the presence of oxygen to a stage where it can be safely handled and even applied to the environment. Composting is an essential part of reducing household wastes.
Composting can be done inexpensively by every household, this process produces a product – finished compost or humus – and it can benefit the environment as a natural fertilizer.
Save energy
Reducing energy consumption contributes to preserving resources and fighting climate change. This can be achieved saving energy at home making our residence more energy efficient (saving money at the same time). It is estimated that our home’s windows are responsible for an estimated 25 to 30 percent of residential heat gain and heat loss. When selecting windows for new construction or when you are planning to replace the existing windows, choose the most efficient ones you can afford that work best in your climate.Also be sure your home has proper insulation. Smaller things you can do right away include replacing your air filter regularly so your ventilation system doesn’t have to work overtime.
Switch to LED bulbs. This type of bulbs emit light in a very narrow band wavelength so they’re extremely energy-efficient. So it is a good idea to replace your old incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. They might cost a little more than incandescent bulbs, but equivalent LED bulbs can last around 25,000 hours compared to the 1,000 hours of the incandescent ones.
Remember to switch-off all your appliances, computers, and other devices when you are not home. Get solar panels. Renewable energy is the cleanest form of power we can use. Installing solar panels on your roof (when possible) generates free, clean electricity and hot water.
Walk, bike & use public transport
Maybe you did not realize it but walking and biking are obvious ways to reduce greenhouse gases. In doing so you will also burn some calories. In case you live in an area that’s not walkable, take advantage of your local mass transit if you can. Or carpool. Even one car off on the road makes a difference and reduces pollution.
Biking and taking public transportation also help in saving money. It’s easier than you think. You can even combine your errands: for example hit the school, grocery store and dog daycare in one trip. And when possible work at home, smart working has become an option so check with your boss if this modality is applicable.
When unavoidable and you need to use your car, it is possible to improve gas mileage by 0.6 percent to 3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
Travel responsibly

Transport is one of the most polluting sectors. Cars and airplanes, though becoming gradually more green with the electrification of these means and the use of sustainable fuels, they generate a great impact and are responsible for a massive emission of CO2. Thus choose these means only when necessary. One of the most efficient ways of lowering your environmental impact is by travelling responsibly. This means, whenever you can, choose a more sustainable way to get from point A to point B (if not too distant) – walk or cycle when you can.
If you have the time you can use the train to reach your destination to cut your carbon footprint. You can also be creative and find alternate ways to travel. Choose public transport rather than driving around in a private car, and think about switching to an electric car, in any case the market is going down this way and charging stations are popping up everywhere. Hiring a car only when you need it, or joining a car share also are options to consider which help reduce our impact on the environment.
Plant a tree

Trees play a very important role in nature: they help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, furthermore they provide habitat to over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. In 2018 the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report suggests that an additional 2.5 billion acres (is it to say 1 billion hectares) of forests in the world could limit global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) by 2050. That’s a lot of trees! But if everyone plants one or helps dedicated organizations in reaching this goal, we all gain. Did you know that one young tree can absorb CO2 at a rate of 13 pounds (5 kilograms) every single year? And that’s just a baby tree. Once that tree reaches about 10 years old, it reaches its most productive stage of carbon storage. It means that it can absorb 48 pounds (21 kilograms) of CO2 per year. Trees and forests are the very essence of natural environments and help us remove all other kinds of junk from the air, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, thus planting a tree it’s good for everybody especially if we consider the increasing deforestation poses a serious threat to biodiversity.
Be informed & read more
One of the latest in WWF’s flagship research series, the Living Planet Report, shows that the size of our planet’s wildlife species have now plummeted by 68% since 1970, and according to this research there are no signs that this downward trend is slowing down.
One of the best things you can do is to read specialized publications and keep yourself informed: the more you know about climate change and nature the better it is. This leaves you better equipped when you have those conversations with your friends, family and the people about these sensitive topics, if you want to influence them and be more sensitive about Nature. Stay up to date with recent news on the state of our natural world, and when possible involve yourself in some initiatives and see what you can do.
Thanks to the Internet we have the world at our fingertips, so be eager and search for news about our environment and wildlife, learn from influential people, keep up with the news and research organizations that are working to raise awareness, protect Nature and make our planet a better place.
Pick-up garbage & volunteer for your world
When you walk in a park and you see garbage where it shouldn’t be, put it in the bin. Be an example and act civilly. Everyone can play an important role in looking after our green spaces. Volunteering can be another way to contribute to preserving our environment. You can check if local nature reserves or parks are looking for regular volunteers, and offer your help. This can give you practical conservation experience while helping to restore nature to your local area.
Be more aware where you put your garbage, and use the dedicated bins. These small actions help recycling. It’s an exciting opportunity to be able to work in the front line of nature conservation with small but meaningful actions.
Be an active citizen & be political
Previous generations did not pay attention to our environment and underestimated the damages humanity was causing to our mother earth. We are the first generation to know we’re seriously harming our world, destroying entire ecosystems threatening our health if we do not change and live more in harmony with our mother earth. A method to instill more awareness among more citizens is to speak up our concerns and communicate with the right people in a position to take appropriate actions, for example talk to our politicians and representatives and tell them to commit to action to protect our natural world.
It’s not just about speaking to the people who are in the position to favor changes promoting acts to better protect our environment. You can also talk to your friends, neighbours and colleagues and get them to make positive changes too, adopting a more environment friendly attitude.
Try to use social platforms to raise more awareness about the status of our planet by talking about your experience in contributing to preserving our environment. Hopefully you can influence others and we will make the environment our top priority, also for our political leaders.
Become an ethical consumer
You can reduce your impact on our environment by adopting simple habits like for example buying your stuff from vendors who select their goods from local farmers for example. You can also look for brands that are transparent about the materials they use and the working conditions of their employees, or use innovative and ethical methods of production. Visit their web-sites to discover more about their business and if they somehow contribute to reducing their impact on our environment.
If they do not display such information contact them and ask what they are doing to help reduce their impact on our environment. And always remember when you are shopping that excessive consumption has an impact on Nature and also drives climate change. Try to buy for example regenerated computers or have your stuff repaired rather than replacing them with ew items when possible, this also can help lessen the load on your wallet and the planet.
Be an example & inspire others
Preserving our environment and taking care of our Mother Earth respecting her with simple actions should be an example for others. If you really care about our future and put in practice these tips you can inspire others to do the same and all together we can make a difference. Because remember we only have one home and we would better take care of it. Not only colds or viruses are contagious, actions are too. Taking care of our Earth and the environment is taking care of ourselves. Humans tend to adopt similar habits, and we’re much more likely to copy behaviours from people similar to ourselves. Show others you care about our Earth telling them what you’re doing to help the environment actually does make a difference and it will inspire more people to take action and act responsibly caring about our earth and live in harmony with her.
Share what you’re doing for the Planet on social platforms and be an example and treat with respect our Mother Earth and you will feel better having contributed in helping our Planet.
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