Our planet is in danger. Don’t get me wrong, the earth will continue no matter how much we abuse it, but humans will not. The planet is in danger of becoming inhospitable for humans and other life on earth. I am a person who believes in science, and in the scientific method. The scientific method has shown over and over again a causal relationship between human activity and global warming. Climate Change is not a hoax, and no, humans aren’t responsible for all of it, but the fact remains that our poles are melting, our waters are rising, our air and water is suffering, and humans around the world are dying. A recent study shows 5.5 million deaths a year due to air pollution alone (BBC 2017). If we don’t stop this trend, our grandchildren will be living in an unhealthy, miserable world. So, here are some options to help you live a better and healthier life, and save clean air and water for your children and grandchildren.
- Plastic is a problem. The ocean is critical to life on earth. We cannot survive without the oxygen made in the ocean, and there is so much plastic in it that wildlife is eating it, dying from it, and contaminating our food sources. Plastic is a way of life, it would be almost impossible to eradicate it from our lives, but we can be more mindful about the harm it can cause. We can reduce our use of single plastics by simple methods such as reusing our grocery bags, saying no to plastic utensils and straws that are offered to us, and reducing our intake of bottled water. We can use biodegradable trash bags and recycled paper goods. Recycle your plastic! And cans and bottles as well. Every little bit helps!
Beautiful Beach Walk in Carmel, CA - Reduce your intake of meat. It really is not that difficult, I promise! Animal agriculture is responsible for more than half of the harmful emissions to our warming planet. It also requires massive amounts of food, land, water, and energy (let alone the suffering of the animals). It really is not difficult to go a day without meat. Join Meatless Monday! Check out this out: eat one less burger a week and it is the equivalent of not driving for 320 miles. Going meat and cheese-less for one day a week is the equivalent of not driving for 5 weeks! If the entire USA joined in Meatless Monday it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road! (Earthday.org)
Do Citizen Science to preserve our megafauna! - Give to a foundation that supports our ocean, our animals or our land. A few of my most esteemed foundations are Marine Megafauna Foundation, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Foundation, REEF and the Jane Goodall Institute. Visit National Parks! Do what you can to support wildlife! Don’t buy Chinese medicine with parts from endangered animals.
- Download the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app, and check to see if you are eating unsustainable fish, fish with high levels of mercury, or endangered species. It is so simple! Red dot, don’t eat, Yellow dot it is okay but not great, and Green dot eat it! I use it whenever I go out if I plan to have seafood. I don’t eat meat, but I do eat seafood once in a while. By the way, do not eat farmed Atlantic Salmon, it is quite unhealthy. The better choice is wild caught salmon only!
Yosemite National Park, a view of Half Dome and Bridal Veil Falls. - Let your government representatives know that you are concerned about our environment. At this moment the US government is getting rid of regulations that protect us and our children. Some want to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency altogether. Blocking our government agencies from studying and preventing climate change is the wrong way to go. Contact your representatives, and march in the March for Science 2017 on April 22, and the People’s Climate Environment March on April 29. It’s happening in just about every city in the country.
And the best thing you can do? Get out in nature, our natural resources are too precious to allow them to be ruined.
PS: Shop the Life is Good link above, they give 10% of net profits to charity!
