Low Impact Ways to Become Low-Impact.

SIX small actions even the busiest humanoid can do to make a positive impact on the earth.

Consider this your new to-do list...

1. UNPLUG ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES: An easy, yet easily forgotten concept. Did you know your tv, radio, computer, VCR/DVD player and cell phone charger continue to draw electricity even when they're turned off?? FACT: The wasted electricity of leaving electronics and appliances plugged in is equivalent to continuously leaving a 100-watt light bulb on. Unplugging these items when not in use will reduce your environmental impact while reducing your electricity bill. Solution: Use power strips. The on/off switch will allow you to unplug your tv, VCR/DVD player, computer and printer at the same time.
2. STOP OD-ING ON NAPKINS: Same concept applies to toilet paper. It's not that difficult to "spare a square". (YES, although highly criticized, Sheryl Crow was on to something!!) My boyfriend and I lay out our wet paper towels on our kitchen counter and by the time we need another, our old paper towels are dry and ready to use again!! (We also use a large bath towel for our "kitchen towel" so we rarely have to rely on paper towels). FACT: If everyone in the US used ONE fewer napkin a day, we could save more than a BILLION pounds of napkins from landfills each year. Imagine the difference you can make if don't use any!!
3. STOP USING PLASTIC CUPS AND PLASTIC PLATES: Not only is plastic the most popular landfill material, but it's also been linked to cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Make a safer switch to reusable glass or ceramic mugs, cups and plates. Concerned with the amount of water and detergent you'll need to use to wash reusable dishware?? Turn off the water while scrubbing and use eco-friendly natural detergents like these.
4. SKIP THE WRAPPING PAPER: It's only on a package for a matter of minutes anyway. FACT: According to hotfact.com, Americans throw away up to 25% more garbage (five million tons more than the daily 3.5 pounds of garbage we usually throw away) between Thanksgiving and the New Year. About four million of those tons are made up of wrapping paper and shopping bags. Instead of wrapping paper, reuse newspapers (the comic section is always a favorite) and don't forget to recycle afterward!!
5. PLAY GAMES: Improve yourself while helping improve the lives of others simply by visiting http://www.freerice.com where you play a game to end world hunger while improving your vocabulary!! The concept: for every correct response, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) will distribute 20 grains of rice to countries in need. "In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to support local farmers and the local economy." How it's possible: the money generated by the advertisements on the bottom of your game screen is used to buy the rice. Awesome.
6. CHOOSE CANVAS: The paper vs. plastic dilemma is solved by using reusable canvas bags!! Most grocery stores will offer small refunds if you bring your own bags. FACT: Using reusable bags saves 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees each year. If those facts aren't enough incentive, remember that canvas bags are sturdier and you will never have to worry about the handles ripping off while you carry your groceries.

All facts were found in the April 2008 edition of Women's Day. Kudos to them!! Some facts were also originally obtained by Deirdre Dolan at The Daily Green.

AN INTRODUCTION

ABOUT ME AND MY INTENTIONS: although i love blogging about my work/whereabouts/photography, my main concern and passion has and always will be our environment. i'm creating this blog as an attempt to identify, educate and hopefully help solve ongoing environmental injustices which occur daily on this planet. it's about time we accept responsibility and correct the damage we've done. i hope you join my crusade and help create the social/political/environment changes we so desperately need. we all caused these environmental disasters (or "stresses" if you want to feel less of a villain), therefore we should all make an effort to lessen the harmful impact we place on our earth.

ABOUT THE NAME: i am calling this blog "end second hand smoke" because i view air, water and land pollution as second hand smoke -- harmful vapors and chemicals emitted by polluters, consumers, businesses and the government that we are being forced to ingest. how long are we going to allow them to contaminate us???

HOW YOU CAN HELP: at the end of each article i post that addresses a particular envionmental issue, i will post ways you can make a difference. i am hoping YOU will make an attempt to contribute to the cause because i certainly will be. by posting productive counter-actions, i hope you will realize the vital impact they have on society. if you need further proof that one person can make a difference, go watch Norma Rae. that movie ALWAYS inspires me. :)

WORDS TO LIVE BY:
"This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." ~Chief Seattle, Chief of the Suquamish Indians