7 Ways to Help the Environment

There are many small changes that can be made to make a big impact on helping the environment. Take action to make changes in your life to help the earth. Future generations will be grateful for your efforts.

Speak Out

Write or call your senator and the president to request an end to off shore drilling for oil. As the recent BP oil spill disaster shows, off shore oil drilling can wreak havoc with the environment. The long-term impact of an oil spill on wildlife and the environment is still being researched. And as the oil reaches the land and moves into streams and rivers that soil and water could be dangerous to humans and animals for years to come.

Walk More!

Drive less and walk more. Walking is not only a great exercise, it helps the environment too. Use your feet rather than a car to get around town for errands. Over time this will add up to a lot less pollution in the air from a car. Once you start walking more you become aware of all the fumes when cars pass by.

Grow Trees

Grow some trees to help clean the air. It is easy to gather seeds from underneath trees. To find magnolia tree seeds, look for seeds with a red coating. For the pine tree just shake the pine cones and seeds will fall out. Each tree planted helps clean the air and gives animals and birds a place to find shelter or build a nest.

Donate Unwanted Items

Use your items out before you dispose of them. And donate items that are in good shape but are no longer used. America's dumps are full of perfectly good items that someone could be using if only they were donated to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Start a bag or basket to toss in smaller items to be donated. And put larger items in a certain part of the garage or basement so that it is easy to collect them to bring to donate when going in the area of the thrift shop.

Give Gifts from the Earth

Give green gifts for holidays and birthdays. Give people plants and tree seedlings as a main gift or an extra gift at holidays. Every little plant or tree helps wildlife. Flowering plants will help the bees whose population has been in crisis in recent years.

Get a Reusable Grocery Bag

Get a big tote bag to use for groceries. If you haven't already started using a cloth bag to carry your groceries get one now. The use of plastic grocery bags is passé now. Why use those flimsy bags that are bad for the environment when you could use a sturdy tote bag that makes it easier to transport the groceries?

Share Your Love of Gardening

Teach people to garden. If you have a lot of gardening knowledge, share it with others. Gardening helps people to eat more healthy vegetables, to get food for less than it costs in a retail market, and is good exercise too. Giving gardening knowledge to others is a good green hobby to help others learn how to experience the joy of making plants, flowers, and vegetable bushes spring into life.

Donate Seeds

Donate seeds for flowers and vegetable plants to schools. Ask your local school if they have a gardening club or would like seeds to give out to students. By reaching out and trying to get the school involved in gardening you will help kids learn a hobby that might bring them healthy foods and joy throughout life.

Source: Personal experience.