I am celebrating earth day and planting a tree, or at least thinking about it. I purchased Avatar Last night at 10pm on my apple tv (thanks for digital movies, I get them early, and I don’t need to wait for it in the mail, Or drive to a DVD Rental place) , it got me all fired up to save the earth because I don’t want to go and pillage any other worlds and tread on the indigenous people. (Humans bad, Military bad, indigenous people good… that sums up the movie, but it is very entertaining!)
I hope you have a happy earth day, and Plant a tree while your at it. Here is some good Earth day reading below.
April 22 is Earth Day. The purpose of Earth Day is to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, sustainable world.
It’s essential that each and every one of us does our part to help keep our environment healthy. Water, trees, energy, and biodiversity are the major elements of our environment. By keeping these elements clean, safe and healthy we can preserve our communities for years to come.
Pure water is vital to our environment: Did you know that for every minute you spend in the shower 5-7 gallons of water is used? By conserving the amount of water we use, we can help preserve much-needed water supplies. Filling the bathtub up half way will save between 10-15 gallons of water, and turning the water off while brushing your teeth will save 2-3 gallons per minute. You can also conserve water by running the dishwasher only when it is full, and by using a self-closing nozzle on your hose.
Forests are the lungs of our planet: Forests purify the air, shelter our water and soil, and are a home to animals and plant life. Trees also conserve energy. According to the USDA Forest Service, trees properly placed around buildings/homes can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20-50 percent in energy used for heating.
Energy use pollutes our air, water and ecosystems: Most of our earth’s energy is produced by coal, oil, natural gas and uranium. Unfortunately these very same resources pollute our environment. By conserving energy, we reduce pollution. The best way to conserve energy in your home is to have appliances that are energy efficient; an Energy Star® equipped home uses 30 percent less energy and saves you money on monthly bills. For more information go to www.energystar.gov.
Recycling is key to sustaining a healthy environment: In this decade, it is projected that Americans will throw away over 1 million tons of aluminum cans and foil, more than 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars, and nearly 10 million tons of newspaper. Almost all of this material could be recycled. The key is knowing where to recycle these items. The website, www.earth911.com, provides locations of Reuse and Recycling centers in your area. It also provides information on curbside recycling programs and locations for depositing car batteries, used tires, cell phones, televisions, and printer cartridges.
Don’t forget that April 22 is Earth Day—together we can protect the environment for future generations.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Erickson
