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How do you help the environment?
Recycle: >> toner cartridges >> aluminum cans >> newspapers >> 2 liter plastic soda bottles >> milk jugs >> steel containers >> organic material/cuttings >> glass >> telephone books
Unfortunately, the city in which I live (NYC) has some restrictions on what can be recycled and what can't but I am making an effort to recycle as much as I possibly can -- papers, metal cans, cardboard boxes, glass/plastic jars and bottles. I'll only buy eggs if they're in cardboard containers. When I recently moved into another apartment, I reduced the setting in my refrigerator so that it would still keep things sufficiently cool yet use a little less power (especially since it was originally set so high that liquids were freezing even in the refrigerator). Even when I was living on the ninth floor in my previous apartment, I made an effort to take the stairs at least once in a while instead of using the elevator -- and it had the additional benefit of being good exercise. If possible, I not only switch off but unplug any appliance or recharger which I'm not actually using since quite a few of these actually use small amounts of power even when switched off. I often tell the cashier when I go shopping that I don't need a plastic bag, because I have a nylon one which folds up into a pouch inside my purse. However, since the grocery stores in my neighborhood force me to use plastic by requiring me check my bags when I go in (probably to prevent theft), I use plastic bags as packing material instead of newspaper or styrofoam -- or else I make an effort to flatten and knot them so that whales and dolphins don't mistake them for squid in case they happen to end up in the ocean. Although I do buy plastic food bags, I wash them out and resue them provided that they're still watertight.
I like this order of priorities:
REDUCE - the amount of stuff you use, like fuel, plastic... anything, really.
REUSE - as much as you can, so if you do buy plastic drinks bottles, refil them with water for your lunch, or take reusable shopping bags etc.
RECYCLE - This is the last on the list, as recycling does take up more energy and the first two don't. But it's still important to do it for anything we can't avoid buying or can't re-use.
So here are some example of how I do these things:
REDUCE We have one car and use it as little as possible - my sons and I cycle to school and to friends, my husband cycles to work, we try to use the car only for long distances or heavy loads. We buy rechargable batteries so we don't end up throwing used ones out.
REUSE We just took a load of things we no longer needed to a 'Vide Grenier' (sort of a French Garage sale) and made money selling things to people who did want them - better than chucking them out and we made some money! We have a compost heap in the garden so that garden and safe kitchen waste can be broken down and re-used as compost the following year.
RECYCLE Most products go into a yellow bag for the council's recycling system. Glass products to the bottle bank. Printer cartridges to the local town hall recycling point.
I love nature and do not understand how others do not appreciate the beauty around. But I fight for the ecology of the world every day and I personally not only planted trees and donate to charity. I installed environmentally friendly equipment in my house. I think that if everyone did this, nature would have been saved a long time ago.
I send "Junk" mail back in their postage free envelopes. It cost them 72 cents at the post office to pick them up. I sutff them really full so it will cost them more. I have found I don't receive as much junk as I use to get.
Pretty much what the first messanger said, the second could be true, but could also bring up a bunch more problems.
Just elect Barack Obama. He'll stop it all AND bring the troops back.
We can help the environment, We should plant some tree and save them
plant some trees. aye...lol I dunno. but its HARD
just read what stephanie wrote.. its complte lol
Yeah!! We should plant...I agree on this