What more can the individual do to help the environment?

Question

i am sick (you don't know how sick) of being told "we" are destroying the planet, when really it is huge conglomerates, idiotic politicians and ignorant morons who pollute excessively and don't give a d**n.

most people i know relentlessly recycle, avoid waste, rarely use vehicles of any kind, yet we are regularly tld by the media or celebrities that we are destroying the world.

what steps can individual people take to ensure minimum pollution - or is there really any point? It seems huge airports are constantly springing up, and every enviromental advance is met with a smack in the face. must we just accept that the plane is set to explode and f***k up once and for all?

Answer 1

Don't listen to celebrities or the media, they don't always know what they are talking about.  Here are some things that you can do to help:

~Of course, recycle everything you can! (Ex: cans, bottles, plastics, paper, ect.)

~Buy energy saving light bulbs

~Buy things like clothes, paper, ect that are made from recycled materials

~Use reusable batteries or recycle dead batteries properly

~Use reusable shopping bags

~If you have plastic shopping bags, use them instead of just tossing them. They can be used to pick up dog poo, line small trash cans, ect.

~Try not to use paper napkins or paper towel as much as possible. Instead use cloth napkins that can be washed.

~Try to use fewer paper plates and more washable ones.

~Take shorter showers

~Turn off lights whenever possible

~Try to buy more organic foods and local foods (for example, at a farmer's market)

~Use regular silverware, not plastic

~Use eco friendly products in replace of regular dish washing liquids, house cleaners, ect. (Greenworks)

~Use cold water to wash clothes (Tide Cold water works great)

~On a nice day, turn off the air/heat and open some windows. You save of the cost, get a nice fresh breeze, and help the environment.

~Plant trees around your house to shade and save on using more air conditioning

~Buy one stainless steel, reusable, water bottle instead of using regular plastic ones and then getting rid of them. This one you can clean and use over and over again!

~Change the setting on your sprinklers to use less water

~Buy eco friendly fertilizers (I think they have them at Home Depot)

~If painting, they have eco friendly paint at Home Depot

~Buy or lease a hybrid if possible

~Walk or ride a bike wherever possible

~Carpool if possible

Even if some people say that "we" are still polluting the earth, at least you know you will be doing your part to help.

Answer 2

in the first place stop listening to the media and celebrities, and let them start saving the planet first.

Answer 3

I think there is a whole lot of "greenwashing" going on at the moment, where consumers are being told that they should buy "green" products (like hybrid vehicles, products that make vague green claims, products made from recycled materials, reusable shopping bags etc).

However, all these things are doing is encouraging people to consume more, when really people should cut back. I think that consumption is the root of all problems environmental... big businesses produce things, using environmentally damaging resources, methods of production and transport and then WE BUY THEM! If we stopped consuming things then there would be far less environmental problems.

If people lived their lives based on needs and available resources, rather than trying to meet unlimited wants, there would be far less environmental issues.

Oh, and going hand in hand with consumption is the demand for convenience... "convenient" single serve packages (more waste and energy used), throw away products, the demand for everything to be done now! With as little effort as possible.  

Answer 4

Buy a car that runs on natural gas (methane), like I did. They run cleaner and cheaper than gasoline cars by far. It's easier to spread the word when you do something big like that. You set an example that way. Check my sources below and see if one would work for you...not every place has a filling station for it yet.

Answer 5

Get sterilised.

No - seriously - it is the only way to make a real difference.

Answer 6

Knock out disposable products from your life (paper towels, pop bottles and cans, etc), eat more locally (ie, no more pineapples from hawaii), and then get politically active.

Oh, yah, and unplug your tv!

Answer 7

Ok well your on the right track for having a cleaner life style. It's not exactly easy to do but here's some ways to make your community cleaner. Get a group of people to clean up where there's trash, plant some trees at the park or even in your own yard if you have a yard. If you plant flowers in boxes try using old tires. I hope this helps

Answer 8

You are in the minority, most of the people I know including my own family doesn't seem to care, and if it weren't for my actions they wouldn't be trying to conserve anything.

I think the most important thing we can do as an individual has to do with our shopping habits. It is the US food supply that is the primary cause for rain forest destruction. It is the cheap plastics and electronics being manufactured in China for US markets that is causing much of the pollution as well as the mass relocation of people moving from a sustainable rural life to a more western urban life. Not to mention the massive transportation emissions to move all these items across the globe.

The other area is our use of all energy sources. You have to have a sweater to enjoy dinner at a restaurant, people go to work all day and have their thermostats set at 68 in the summer. We drive massive cars with 1 person in it and move far away from our work. We take vacations to disatant countries but don't know the natural treasures in our own community.

So what can we do, we can eat local, buy local. Reduce our energy consumption, explore our local area. In general consume less. Share your experiences with others and get involved with your local, state and federal politics.  

Answer 9

Increase your consciousness of the energy cycle, eat vegan diet, don't drive (use public transportation or bike/walk).  Go to www.storyofstuff.com

Answer 10

My advice would be to ignore the scaremongering of the green fascists it has nothing to do with the environment and everything to do with control...It is about how they want to control your life  

Answer 11

I also hate what other people say about "us" destroying the environment. I, much like you try to save it. I do not believe that we should accept that the plane is set to explode. What you can do for a large impact is go on green websites and make pledges to help save the rainforests and certain animals. One of these websites is conservation international.

Answer 12

My motivation is that I don't want my children growing up in a rubbish tip.

Answer 13

Most of the things people list here are very insignificant in terms of overall effect. But there are several things you can do that are high impact including:

1) Never drive in a car. Stopping driving and associating with selfish desctructive people who drive is the single most impactful thing you can do to reduce global warming and live green.

2) Do not flush your toilet. Instead, take a dump into a plastic sandwich bag and simply seal and throw away. This will save huge amounts of wasted water.

3) Unplug your refrigerator and freezer. The frig and freezer are the single biggest energy consumers in any household.

4) Stop watching television/cable. After your refrigerator the tv is the biggest energy waster.Get rid of them if you really want to help.

5) Stop washing your clothes in the washing machine. Wash by hand in the tub. Again, we are just lazy to use all the energy from the washing machine and dryer.

If you want to be green and guilt free, this is what you ought to be doing. All the rest is just talking nonsense that won't really do any good. Hope this helps.