The Healthy Parenting Blog

Blog Action Day is here

Today, for Blog Action Day, I thought I’d write about some of the things that we do (or strive to) to tread lightly on our earth. 

Recycle - Reduce - Reuse!

Its important that when we do use plastics and other recyclable containers that we take the time to recycle.  In NJ, recycling was mandatory and picked up with the garbage.  Where we live in NC, its not so easy but still just as necessary (though not required). There’s a recycling drop off that we take our empty containers and cardboard to every other week or so. To find local recycling resources in the US, the National Recycling Coalition can help with their local resources database.  The issue is not only on how much we’re putting into our landfills and how long it will be there but the energy and cost involved in NOT recycling.  Our earth just can’t afford it.  The following information comes from  Earth911.org ;

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours.
• If you toss an aluminum can, it will still be an aluminum can in 500 years
• Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy and 20 recycled cans can be made with the energy needed to produce one can using virgin ore.
• Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
• In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each, but only recycled an average of 38 bottles per person, which equals about 50 billion plastic bottles consumed, with only 23% being recycled. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.
• A plastic bottle tossed out will not even start to decompose for 700 years.

Recycle your batteries, cell phones, old clothes (via Freecycle or Craigslist) or unwanted items, eyeglasses, AND more.  We haven’t fully switched over to rechargeable batteries and we’ve had a few mishaps with our rechargeables getting recycled (oops) but we’re working on it.

If we are in need of a household item, we first check Freecycle and Craigslist.  This way, we’re recycling by reusing someone else’s “treasure”.

We turn lights off, ceiling fans are used only when we are in the rooms, turn water off and the many more little tips you can find that put together, CAN and DO make a difference.  So lets all get with it!  :)  And do what we can to put whats important first.