How BIG is your footprint?
“The world is melting, drying, acidifying, flooding, and burning because of destructive environmental changes, and we must alter our ways if we want to keep the planet habitable for ourselves and future generations.” –Bill McKibben
That quote says it all but if you want to learn more then you should read “eaarth” by Bill McKibben.
Each year the incoming freshmen at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville have a summer reading assignment (Life of the Mind) prior to attending their first class. The assigned book for this year is “eaarth”. My son, who will be attending UT soon, read the book and encouraged me to read it also.
Basically McKibben says that we don’t have time to wait to change our habits, that it is almost too late already. Everyone and every country needs to get onboard to protect what we have. We have put the earth under a lot of stress with all of our ‘progress’. We all need to reduce the size of our footprint. How BIG is your footprint?
I’ve always found it important to do my part and so began recycling about 20 years ago. I haul away more to the recycling center than my trash man picks up at my home. I preach: reduce, reuse, recycle. I encourage my kids to find a new use for something that they are finished with and want to toss. We give items to Goodwill instead of throwing them away in hopes that someone else can find a use for our unwanted items.
Here are some of the other ways I try to help save the planet:
Take short showers and turn off water when not using
Combine trips when traveling to save time and gas
Take reusable bags to the grocery store
Buy large containers of soap and refill
Unplug cords when not in use
Turn off TV’s and lights when leaving a room
Use less chemicals and more natural products for cleaning
Use refillable water bottles
Buy concentrated can juices instead of ready-made products in plastic containers
Buy ½ sheet papertowels
Recycling center locations in Brentwood TN:
1301 WILSON PIKE Next to the fire station
1495 SNEED RD Behind the fire station
Hours for both are:
Monday - Friday
7:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday - Sunday
7:00am - 6:00pm
You may also drop-off Goodwill donations at these locations.
How BIG is your footprint?
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