Here are some basic ideas of how you can help the earth today:

 

1. Don't use plastic bags at the grocery store; use paper or take cloth bags. Paper biodegrades but plastic does not.

 

2. Encourage people who smoke NOT to throw their butts on the ground. Butts do NOT biodegrade.

 

3. Pick up trash if you see it and throw it in the trash bin. Don't think you have to pick it all up because if you do, it will overwhelm you (see the Starfish Story) but try to get as much as you can.

 

4. Plant a tree or several trees. Grow a vegetable garden and plant a lot of flowers, especially ones for the butterflies and bees. Grow indoor plants too. Oxygen is always good for you!

 

5. Encourage your parents and others to reuse plastic baggies. They are easy to clean and dry. Just hang them upside down and let them drip-dry. Or instead of baggies, use glass containers with lids. We're not going to get away from using plastic altogether, but we can use less. 

 

6. Cut all plastic rings that come on 6-packs because sea animals and birds can get caught in them and die.

 

7. Don't use pesticides and weed killers because they get into the water supply and kill fish and organisms that live in the water. They also kill insects in the ground and insects like bees who fly around as you spray. These chemicals can reside in the soil for generations. There are organic ways to get rid of unwanted insects and weeds. Use a gallon of vinegar, a cup of Epsom salts and a half a cup of blue Dawn dish soap. Spray in the morning and let the sun do the work. Neem oil is one way to kill unwanted bugs. Another is to use a tablespoon of dish soap in a quart of water with a drop or two of peppermint oil.

 

8. Walk or ride a bike whenever you can. Encourage your parents to do the same. Or encourage them to buy an electric car for driving. Take your dog for a walk. He can use the exercise too!

 

9. Turn down the heat and layer up in the winter and only use the air conditioner when it is absolutely necessary. Put solar panels on the roof of your house. It will cut the cost of electricity.

 

10. Recycle your trash. There are trash receptacles for tin cans, aluminum, plastic, cardboard, paper and many more. Here is a website you can visit that gives you very good information, What Can I Recycle?

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11. Learn about Climate Change and what it means. Global Climate Change is a NASA website you can visit that has articles, solutions and resources and a list of other websites that can help you understand Climate Change.  

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12. Over-population is our number one concern. "Don't have children." That's a hard one. Especially for people who want to have children. One child per person would even out the population growth, but two people having only one child would decrease the population. Adoption is a better answer. There are many children who need homes. Adoption is the best answer. It will stop population growth.