I was listening to Science Friday on NPR today, and Ira Flatow said that increasing numbers of people now understand that climate change is really happening. He or a guest remarked that many of those same people ask, What can I do to improve the situation? Since that's a subject I haven't written about in awhile, and since there is so much each of us can do, let's talk about it.
Where to start - what we eat? what we wear? what we drive? There are right answers to each of those questions. If you're eating conventionally grown food, that needs to change, because foods that "require" chemicals to be grown are killing all of us, both because of airborne pollutants, and because of the poisons that wind up in our bodies. While it is difficult to eat a diet that consists only of organic foods, there are so many organic options (especially produce, dairy foods, and meat) that you should acquaint yourself with what's available. The end result will be healthier bodies and a healthier environment. Given that 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been released into the environment since World War II, we need to get started on becoming less reliant on them right away.
Speaking of food, how about growing your own? You don't need acres of land for this to be a meaningful activity. The point is, garden organically, and eat what you grow. At this point in my life, I garden permaculturally, i.e., I grow perennial plants that produce fruit with the help of organic fertilizer, and I grow tomatoes and green peppers in containers, using organic fertilizer. There's so much to learn about permaculture and other ways of growing, get yourself some books on the subject. Or you might want to subscribe to Permaculture Design magazine (originally known as Permaculture Activist).
Consider sleeping on organic cotton sheets; they get SO soft after many washings. Consider wearing organic cotton clothing. And while you're considering alternate routes, here's another one: buy fewer clothes. Buy your clothes at Goodwill (although now might not be the best time to do that). Rent your clothes. Love to read "real" books? Buy them second-hand. In fact, many of the things we own - including gardening tools - can be procured second-hand, or from a tool library. Borrow from neighbors.
Buy fewer plastics. Wash your plastic bags and re-use them. Use your cloth shopping bags (though, again, now may not be the best time). Bathe every other day. Add a bidet to your toilet to save on toilet paper. Turn lights off when you leave the room. Keep your house a degree warmer in the summer, and a degree colder in the winter. All of these suggestions lead to the burning of fossil fuels in smaller amounts. Finally, think about buying a hybrid or electric vehicle. The days of the internal combustion engine are rapidly drawing to a close, especially when it has to compete with electric engines that get mileage in excess of 100 mpg.
The future is looking brighter all the time.
Where to start - what we eat? what we wear? what we drive? There are right answers to each of those questions. If you're eating conventionally grown food, that needs to change, because foods that "require" chemicals to be grown are killing all of us, both because of airborne pollutants, and because of the poisons that wind up in our bodies. While it is difficult to eat a diet that consists only of organic foods, there are so many organic options (especially produce, dairy foods, and meat) that you should acquaint yourself with what's available. The end result will be healthier bodies and a healthier environment. Given that 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been released into the environment since World War II, we need to get started on becoming less reliant on them right away.
Speaking of food, how about growing your own? You don't need acres of land for this to be a meaningful activity. The point is, garden organically, and eat what you grow. At this point in my life, I garden permaculturally, i.e., I grow perennial plants that produce fruit with the help of organic fertilizer, and I grow tomatoes and green peppers in containers, using organic fertilizer. There's so much to learn about permaculture and other ways of growing, get yourself some books on the subject. Or you might want to subscribe to Permaculture Design magazine (originally known as Permaculture Activist).
Consider sleeping on organic cotton sheets; they get SO soft after many washings. Consider wearing organic cotton clothing. And while you're considering alternate routes, here's another one: buy fewer clothes. Buy your clothes at Goodwill (although now might not be the best time to do that). Rent your clothes. Love to read "real" books? Buy them second-hand. In fact, many of the things we own - including gardening tools - can be procured second-hand, or from a tool library. Borrow from neighbors.
Buy fewer plastics. Wash your plastic bags and re-use them. Use your cloth shopping bags (though, again, now may not be the best time). Bathe every other day. Add a bidet to your toilet to save on toilet paper. Turn lights off when you leave the room. Keep your house a degree warmer in the summer, and a degree colder in the winter. All of these suggestions lead to the burning of fossil fuels in smaller amounts. Finally, think about buying a hybrid or electric vehicle. The days of the internal combustion engine are rapidly drawing to a close, especially when it has to compete with electric engines that get mileage in excess of 100 mpg.
The future is looking brighter all the time.
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