As a traveler, I know I have a larger carbon foot print compared to others. Air travel of CO2 emissions are high.
This Earth is the one and only home we have.
Sure, maybe there is a similar place to Earth somewhere in a galaxy far, far away but it’s not like we will be living there during our lifetime.
So, what does that mean for us?
We need to do all that we can to preserve this beautiful planet.
Do you like clean water? Do you like to travel? Do you like to visit National Parks? Do you like to eat sushi? Do you like having smog-free summer days?
There are small changes you can make every day to help reduce, reuse and recycle. Sometimes it can be inconvenient but the way I see it is that the small inconvenience for me can go a long way in terms of our impact on the planet — if everyone is doing their part!
I’ve recently stopped using those small plastic produce bags at the grocery store.
OK, OK! You caught me! I haven’t completely stopped using them. I only use them for “wet and delicate” items like parsley and green onions. So, now I’m that annoying customer at the check out line who is buying 5 oranges, a handful of tomatoes and two crowns of broccoli, scattered on the conveyor belt. I’d rather be that person, then that other person who uses five of those plastic bags on a weekly basis, just to throw them in the trash!
I compost even when it is difficult. A few years ago, I worked in an office that didn’t have compost bins. Every day, I would take home my banana peels and any other compostable items I had accumulated throughout the day. Did I like that my lunch bag, and subsequently my car, smelled like a rotten banana on my drive home? No. But, I did it because every peel counts!
I’m a runner and a few years ago I got into run commuting home. Yes, it is what it sounds like. I would take the bus into work, and then run home after work. I live about five miles away from my office, but it is all uphill, so it’s quite the feat. I don’t do it on a regular basis, especially now that I am starting to build up my endurance from a running injury. My main reason for doing this wasn’t for eco-friendly reasons but mainly to get my run in and stay fit. But, hey, one less car on the road is a plus, too, right?!
This seems like a no-brainer, but I save tissue and wrapping paper as often as possible to reuse when I give future gifts. (Same with gift bags!)
My way of life is not perfect. I know I still contribute to a lot of waste. But, I’m trying to do better.
What do you do to help be a little “friendlier” to our planet Earth? Have you changed the way you look at plastic? Do you have any tips and tricks to share? I’d love to hear! And, happy Earth day!
otter travel more 