Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Seven Green Tips for Celebrating Earth Day

Tips courtesy of Waste Management

Earth Day is just around the corner and people everywhere are becoming more and more conscious of how their actions are impacting the planet. So just in time for the 45th anniversary of the global observance of sustainability on April 22, Waste Management of Southern California is sharing seven easy-to-implement ideas to reduce your environmental footprint every day.

“As the largest recycler in North America, we are committed to the environment and we are asking community members to join in our efforts to conserve natural resources,” said Eloisa Orozco, spokesperson for Waste Management of Southern California. “This year, we’re inviting community members across Southern California to make this Earth Day the best ever by implementing some of our top tips to help reduce their carbon footprint and make a big impact.”

Residents can help make the Earth a cleaner, greener place by implementing these suggestions on a regular basis:

•Reduce your shower time: California is in the middle of one the worst droughts in recent history and residents of the state have been mandated by Governor Jerry Brown to reduce water consumption by 25 percent in addition to other measures. By doing so, we can ensure that enough water is left over in reservoirs and farms receive enough to grow their crops.

•Plant a native plant: plants such as cacti or succulents are great at storing water and can survive in drought-like conditions much longer than the average tree or flowering plant.

•Volunteer at a local clean up: research local community clean ups or start one in your neighborhood.
Reduce air pollution and save on fuel costs: walk, ride a bike, carpool or take public transportation whenever possible instead of driving in a car by yourself.

•Ramp up recycling: if you don’t have a recycling container inside your kitchen, office or classroom, put one in place. Nothing says you care for the Earth like recycling.

•Get some fresh air: save money and limit emissions by keeping tabs on your thermostat and opening windows instead of using energy-guzzling air conditioning units.

Join a movement: reduce, reuse and recycle with others in your community and around the country who are focused on keeping our planet clean and green.