How to Help the Environment

If you are reading this article, I think you are probably more concerned about the environment than most others. I assume that you keep up with environmental news a bit, reading more than the miniscule amount covered in the mainstream media.

However, I cannot make any guess as to how much you actually do to live a more environmentally friendly life.

Why?

The bottom line is, people inform themselves of the environmental problems in the world much more than they act. And even for those deeply concerned about the environment, it is very likely there is more they could be doing in their own lives to live a cleaner or greener life.

That is why I want to give one general tip for how to live a greener life. Maybe it is simple. But I think it is one of the best things you can do to transform your actions.

First, though, if you want some statistics on the difference between what people think need to be done and what they are actually doing, take a look at the results of this Americans’ Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming. January 2010 study from George Mason University and Yale University Project on Climate Change researchers.


The red parts of the bars concerns what I just wrote about above: the percentage of people who “believe the action is important, but do not currently engage in it.”

The blue parts are the people who “believe the action is important and currently engage in it.” To what extent they engage, is another question.

It is clear here that we think we should do more than we do. My tip is this:

Think about what you are doing and what you are using, in an environmentally aware way.

You may know some things are bad for the environment when asked but don’t consider these things at all in your daily life. Or, you may even be somewhat conscious of the environmental problems they cause when doing or buying something, but largely choose to avoid the issue. Very simply, when you are going to do something, or going to buy something, give some honest, direct and complete thought to “What environmental problems does this contribute to?”; “Where does this come from and how many environmental problems come from its creation?“; “Can I do something differently or buy something else to live a greener life?“.

This can even spread all the way to the place where you live, the way you get around your town or city, and your whole diet. But, at the least, it can have a huge effect on the small things (that add up).

Take your environmental knowledge and care out of your computer screen and insert it firmly into your life.

Image Credit: ebergcanada via flickr under a CC license

7 thoughts on “How to Help the Environment”

  1. With so numerous things to do and so much to change, it feels easier to just not do anything. The thing is, though, even the smallest changes, on a large scale, can have a huge impact. Do not do it all at once. Simply do one small thing. You only have to do one task a month. Only two weeks are needed to develop a habit really. The easiest thing for you to change is what you ought to start with. For example, try using a reusable coffee mug whenever you get a latte. Do something different than your vehicle once a week. Try public transportation maybe. Get an organic fruit instead of regular fruit inside your shopping. Use your kitchen window to plant basil. It’s hard to make the large and expensive changes. You are able to begin to live far better with small changes. That is what it is all about. Every year, you are able to make a few small changes. Within the end, you’ll result in being the change rather than watching the change pass by.
    Though it is heavy with controversy, most people have at least heard the basic ideas of environmentalism. With so many options, though, it can feel easier to just not make a choice and do nothing. The secret to truly recycling the idea of environmentalism into something that can work, though, is to just choose one thing at a time.

  2. What can we do about making these wonderful old houses in our cities livable again. People are leaving the cities because of crime and really high taxes. They then build big new houses in the country which is terrible for the environment. If only we could take back our cities and make them livable again like they were in the 30-40s. People walked to work, had gardens and lots of local corner stores.

  3. We could definitely help the environment by doing the things mentioned on this blog. One of the biggest or important part in saving our environment is through conserving energy consumption through energy efficient products such as window tints. While most window films are for reducing solar heat gain in the summer, low-e films both block summer heat and improve winter heat retention. Trusted tint professional at http://www.TintBuyer.com provides unbiased fact on types window tints that suit your needs. They provide relevant information about window tints such as its benefits, quotations, laws involve in every state and will help you find the best professional tinter near your area.

  4. This is a good point that needs attention. I had this same thought process take place when I decided to open my business. I just could not justify opening up a shop, driving back and forth, and all the additional waste and expense that would have followed. So I took an extra few months to research and learn then decided to do an online business.

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