Earth Song

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

 ~Native American Proverb

This is one of my favorite quotes, and it speaks to the fact that we all need to do our part to make sure that Mother Earth is still around for our children, and our children's children.  

It's pretty obvious that the earth isn't too happy with us.  From the earthquake in Haiti, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan that has wreaked havoc on the world, the tornado in Missouri, the drought in Somalia; these are just a few of the natural disasters that have recently occurred.  People can say all they want about global warming being fake, or a conspiracy, but think about the 42 million people that were displaced by natural disasters in 2010 alone.  

Even if you don't believe in global warming, there are a few things that we all can do to help make the earth a better place. 

1. Turn off the tap when you're brushing your teeth.  This can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, or 240 gallons per year!! 

2. Carry reusable canvas bags when buying groceries.  This lessens litter that accumulates in the environment, saves marine life who are affected by improperly displaced plastic bags, and reduces pollution.

3. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.  This saves energy, which in turn saves you money.

4. Unplug your cellphone charger when you're not using it.  When electronic devices are plugged in, they are still using energy.  

5. Use energy efficient light bulbs.  They use 75% less energy than standard bulbs, and last 6 times as long!

6. Go vegetarian one night a week.  If everyone when meatless one night per week, the US would save 100 billion gallons of water and 70 million gallons of gas! More info here!

7. Use a reusable water bottle.  Plastic water bottles are not only bad for the environment, but they're bad for your health too.  My favorite is my Sigg.  If you're worried about tap water not being clean enough, check out ultra violet wands that purify water in seconds.  

See?  Simple changes that are painless.  Do you do any of these regularly?  What else do you do to make a difference?

Now I leave you with "Earth Song" by Michael Jackson.