As Gaylord Nelson once said :“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”
These are some sound words to resonate in our minds as we celebrate the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day.
Earth Day went global in 1990, when an estimated 200 million joined the movement and helped ignite the recycling craze.
According to earthday.org , more than 1 billion people will participate in Earth Day 2012 events on April 22. The global event celebrates the beauty of our planet and calls on individuals, organizations, companies and governments to do their part to ensure the preservation of the planet.
We believe if each and every one of us contributed, no matter how little, we would witness a huge difference. Here are some of our suggestion to help our planet :
1. CHANGE YOUR LIGHT
If every household in the United State replaced one regular lightbulb with one of those new compact fluorescent bulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road.
2. RECYCLE GLASS
Recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20 percent and related water pollution by 50 percent. If it isn’t recycled it can take a million years to decompose.
3. DIAPER WITH A CONSCIENCE
By the time a child is toilet trained, a parent will change between 5,000 and 8,000 diapers, adding up to approximately 3.5 million tons of waste in U.S. landfills each year. Whether you choose cloth or a more environmentally-friendly disposable, you’re making a choice that has a much gentler impact on our planet.
4. GO VEGETARIAN ONCE A WEEK
One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.
5. WRAP CREATIVELY
You can reuse gift bags, bows and event paper, but you can also make something unique by using old maps, cloth or even newspaper. Flip a paper grocery bag inside out and give your child stamps or markers to create their own wrapping paper that’s environmentally friendly and extra special for the recipient.
6. ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT
Adjust your thermostat one degree higher in the summer and one degree cooler in the winter. Each degree celsius less will save about 10% on your energy use! In addition, invest in a programmable thermostat which allows you to regulate temperature based on the times you are at home or away.
7. TAKE A SHORTER SHOWER
Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve more than ten gallons of water. If everyone in the country saved just one gallon from their daily shower, over the course of the year it would equal twice the amount of freshwater withdrawn from the Great Lakes every day.
8. RECYCLE OLD CELL PHONES
The average cell phone lasts around 18 months, which means 130 million phones will be retired each year. If they go into landfills, the phones and their batteries introduce toxic substances into our environment. There are plenty of reputable programs where you can recycle your phone, many which benefit noble causes.
9. RECYCLE UNWANTED WIRE HANGERS
Wire hangers are generally made of steel, which is often not accepted by some recycling programs. So what do you do with them? Most dry cleaners will accept them back to reuse or recycle. (Cue Joan Crawford)
10. INVEST IN YOUR OWN COFFEE CUP
If you start every morning with a steamy cup, a quick tabulation can show you that the waste is piling up. Invest in a reusable cup, which not only cuts down on waste, but keeps your beverage hot for a much longer time. Most coffee shops will happily fill your own cup, and many even offer you a discount in exchange!
Green Fashion
Another unconventional method to celebrate this special day can be throughout fashion, yes you heard us right! Kyle Retzik, owner of Skunkfunk USA, stated:
“Skunkfunk is an eco-conscious company; we employ sustainable business practices in every aspect of the business, from our selection of materials to the way we ship our products. We even produce reusable bags out of our fabric scraps.”
Green Gadgets
The nPower® PEG
The nPower® PEG is the world’s first passive kinetic energy charger for personal hand-held electronics. It’s very easy to use as mentioned on their website; all you have to do is place the nPower® PEG vertically in your bag, and it harvests your own kinetic energy as you walk, storing it for use whenever, wherever you need it. The PEG has a 2000 mA lithium polymer battery on board, capable of charging an iPhone 3 to 100%, and an iPhone 4 to about 75%. It weighs 14 ounces. PEG will go on sale online in about a month, retailing for US$169.99.
Meet the first learning thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat is aiming to change the way we approach heating and cooling with the technology; It remembers your temperature preferences for times throughout the day and programs itself to create a personalized schedule. Nest connects to your Wi-Fi giving you the option to remotely adjust your temperature from your smartphone or any web browser.
So take a moment and reflect on how beautiful our nature is, and let us work together so that our children as well as many generations to come could enjoy it too. Here is an inspirational video to spark your senses.
Looking for a simple, elegant backup solution?
Genie Timeline 2012 is a new version of the number one continuous data protection program Timeline 2.1. It offers the first metro style user interface; enhanced performance, and added features. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
>Follow @Genie9backup