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OrganicBunny.com Living
10 Earth-Friendly Things You Can Do Right Now (part 2)
by Laura
Continued from last month... Click here for part 1.
6. Make your curtains your energy-saving friends. In the wintertime,
throw them open during the day and let the sun shine in. This helps to warm your house (and
combat any winter doldrums). In the summertime, keep them closed to help deflect light and heat,
so you're A/C unit doesn't have to work as hard. (On a larger scale, you can apply the same logic
when landscaping: consider planting deciduous trees on your property, earth's natural "curtains."
They provide shade from the sun in the summer and then courteously drop their leaves and allow sunlight
to come through to your house in the winter.)
7. Green up your lunch break. Try walking over to the café across the street
instead of jumping in your car to sit in the drive-through. Added bonus: the exercise will improve
your health and lower your stress level, making you feel more productive in the afternoon. If that's
just not an option, try carpooling with a couple of friends or coworkers, so at least only one person's
car is being used, instead of several. Forced to fly solo? You can still be earth-friendly by bundling
your tasks, for example, deciding to pick up soup & salad at the salad bar next door to the dry cleaner's
instead of crossing town for your usual sandwich. You're also saving gas, money, and time - talk about
multi-tasking!
8. Educate yourself and others. The fact that you're reading this newsletter
already shows that you're interested in the Earth. Keep reading and gathering information, both
scientific and personal. Share your interest with others. You may find that they have other great
resources you didn't know about. If you're motivated by the thought of future generations, consider
this: providing them with a beautiful natural world is only part of the solution - the other part is
in teaching them how to appreciate and care for it.
9. Plant something. It doesn't have to be an elaborate vegetable garden (but
if it is, then kudos to you!) Try one of those whimsical kitchen gardens with three little pots of
herbs that you can grow in your windowsill and use to season your meals. Or work on your prosperity
along with your environmentalism and buy a lucky bamboo. Even a small potted flower or ivy near your
desk adds a living reminder of nature's goodness to your day. Fearful of a brown thumb? Maybe a
neighborhood park is sponsoring a volunteer day to plant trees, annuals, or sod. Check the local paper.
In any case, you'll probably be surprised by the uplift that a little plant can give you.
10. Do a happy dance. No, really - don't forget to celebrate the small things,
the little accomplishments. Be your own cheerleader along the way. For example, if you remember to
turn off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth every day for a week, then remember to pat yourself
on the back. Smile. Friendliness to your fellow human beings is good for the earth, too!
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Have you tried any of the ideas mentioned here? We'd love to hear from you!
Please tell us about it!
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