by donald dusinberre imartsyfartsy@gmail.com
If, by now, you still don’t realize how important it is to take care of the planet, then you probably never will, and the world will just have to wait until your breed all too slowly dies off.
The rest of us realize we have a job to do, especially if we want to compensate for the ineptitude of others. With all the media attention and informative motion pictures decrying our environmental plight, the pressure is growing uncomfortable. What’s most frustrating, though, is the relatively small amount of practical advice on how to do our part. Recycling soda cans is no longer enough, and the answers to the big problems seem just as big.
We can’t rely on politicians to force corporations to make big steps. We must promote a culture of conservation, beginning with very small things. People determine their own needs, and when we can prove that we don’t need to waste and pollute, larger groups and companies will do even larger things to help.
We have to start somewhere, and each of us leaves our own mark on the environment. In other words, every person alive has changed the environment one way or another. The good news: we can make our impact positive by simply changing our normal patterns of behavior.
Forty-one cents for a stamp? Phooey! Nothing shows you care more than an email. Don’t send letters and pay your bills online. It saves paper, money, time, gas, and tax dollars.
They look funny and take a fraction of a second longer to light up, but they’ll last longer and burn cheaper. Turn them off when you’re not in the room, duh. In fact, turn everything off if you’re not using it, including your computer.
Prepare your own food, lazy bones. If you insist on a going to a restaurant, don’t get takeout and don’t take leftovers home. Avoid using Styrofoam containers or other packaging. Bring your own mug if you’re stopping for coffee.
Don’t eat beef. They fart too much. If we keep cooking them, their methane emissions will end up cooking us.
You could probably wear some things twice before washing them. But when you do, wash them in cold water to save the energy it takes to heat up water. Use a clothesline to dry your clothes. Yes, it rains here, I know. You will probably have to use the dryer for some things, but give it a try with stuff like sheets, curtains and lingerie. Wash your clothes only when you need to.
It’s a ridiculous symbol of excess. Cars are sometimes a necessity, but always a drain on money and resources. Save the water and prevent cleaning detergents from leaching into the groundwater. Make a hybrid your next personal vehicle.
Make fewer trips to the grocery store by planning a weekly menu. Buy foods grown and made locally. They will obviously be fresher, and they’ll require less shipping and refrigeration. Also, bring your own bags to carry your goods. Any type of bag will do, and they’re stronger and easier to carry than paper or plastic.
These days, food often comes in a package. Buy only the stuff that has recyclable packaging. Even if you’re trying to consume more organic foods, you might have noticed that despite your efforts to clean up your body, the packaging is often not recyclable in our area. So meanwhile, encourage your area’s waste management service to accept more items for recycling.
Save tons of trees by canceling your subscriptions to magazines and newspapers. Begin by calling the Florida Times-Union and tell them to stop sending you that T-U Sampler. Every major news and entertainment source has a website with a complete selection of content (including the paper you’re reading right now), so visit eujacksonville.com.
stjohnsriverkeeper.org
jaxgreen.org
greenteamproject.org.
This local non-profit focuses on supporting tangible changes on a residential and commercial level through a thorough auditing system. Organize a group of your friends, family, or co-workers and meet every week for six weeks. Your group will go through a workbook and learn together how you can reduce your impact. They provide homework assignments such as weighing your trash or making a list of items that the group can borrow from one another to reduce your impact through sharing. It’s social; people get together and drink some beer and talk to each other about how to reduce their impact.
florida.sierraclub.org/Northeast
The Jacksonville branch of this national organization is currently promoting the Cool Cities Campaign, which includes the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement (coolcities.us). They host monthly meetings in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, as well as outings that range from kayak trips to nature hikes on Talbot Island and other locations.
duvalaudubon.org
The Duval Audubon Society is dedicated to the enjoyment of birds and other wildlife with a primary focus on preserving a diversity of habitats through education, conservation, environmental leadership and community involvement. Meetings are held in Jacksonville on the third Monday of each month from September through April.
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