The Panther Print 2009-2010 | Lawrence Park C.I Network
SAVE OUR PLANET OR AT LEAST TRY!!! Written by Marc Z. Grub posted on 07 Sep 2009
Can you save the Earth? Really? That would be great because somebody really needs to. Okay, so maybe you cannot, at least not by yourself… but you can try! There is nothing wrong with trying; in fact, there are lots of things right about trying. Why should you want to save our planet? I am rather glad you asked! The answer: we all need Earth to live. You may have heard that humans are killing the planet in numerous ways. Deforestation, global warming, animal slaughter and pollution are all slowly turning this beautiful Earth into a barren, lifeless wasteland. Nearly every single person is contributing to the destruction of the planet, some more than others. While it is unlikely any one single person will save the planet (Al Gore maybe), we can all try to tone down our destruction. We can try to reduce our ecological footprint (the negative impact we are having on the Earth). This issue is huge and even if we do not all do as much as we could, we should at least be aware of some of the ways in which we can be better global citizens.
Bottled Water:
Do not drink it! The amount of plastic wasted and water left over from water bottles is astronomical. Financially, it is also stupid as you are paying for that plastic instead of the water itself. Some people think that tap water is unsafe and less clean than bottled water but this is actually a myth. The following is an excerpt from an article from the BC Heights Newspaper: “The purity and safety standards for bottled water are considerably less stringent than those set forth for tap water. Biological and chemical contaminant tests are required to be done less frequently, and tests for several harmful parasites aren't required at all. The FDA even allows for a small amount of contamination from E. Coli and fecal coliform bacteria, which may indicate the presence of fecal pollutants. Tap water, on the other hand, must be confirmed to have none of these bacteria at all…. For the cleanest water, you don't need to look any further than your kitchen faucet.”* People drink bottled water because they have been led to believe that it is healthier than regular water. This is untrue; the confusion is created by corporations hoping to sell more. Instead of bottled water get a Nalgene or some type of reusable bottle and just fill that up with water or orange juice. You would be saving the environment and your money.
Eat Less meat or become a Vegetarian:
In 2006, the United Stations reported that the raising of animals for food was “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. The findings of this report suggest that it should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution and loss of biodiversity. Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale ….” It is a fact that nearly half of the water and 80 percent of the agricultural land in the United States is used to raise animals for food. ** “The National Audubon Society, the WorldWatch Institute, the Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, have recognized that raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else that we do.”** Another serious issue right now is the clearing of rainforests in many countries to make room for cattle grazing. By going vegetarian you will not be contributing to any of this. You will reduce your environmental footprint enormously. Studies have also shown that vegetarians are healthier, fitter and live longer than meat-eaters. Many people think that becoming a vegetarian is an impossibly hard thing to do and that you won’t receive enough protein: these are complete myths as well. For protein, just eat nuts, peanut butter sandwiches, tofu and plenty of other things. It’s really not that hard and you’ll be doing yourself and everyone on Earth a favour, not to mention the animals.
Take Transit, Ride a Bike or Drive a Hybrid:
Whatever you do, do not drive that behemoth-of-a-mother Hummer or I will not be your friend. Obviously, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the burning of fossil fuels to keep our cars running is a huge part of global warming. Of course, greenhouse gases are generated by buses and transit systems but are still the smarter alternative. Riding a bike wherever you go creates no emissions whatsoever, and bikes require no fuel so it is cheaper and more environmentally friendly to ride one. Lastly, if you are looking to get a car or your parents are looking to buy a new car, why not get a hybrid? Some people say “oh, I would if they weren’t so ugly!” but that is absurd. They look just as good as any other cars and if you are ready to kill the planet just for the sake of having a slightly better looking car then I do not know why you are reading this. Some people think hybrids are just too expensive. This is another myth. I drive a Honda Civic Hybrid with a suggested starting price of $22,600. *** That is not unreasonable. Not to mention all the money you save on gas. I have been driving mine for about 6 months now and it has given me no problems at all. Everyone agrees it is a fine automobile. If hybrids are not an option then you can at least make your next vehicle a fuel efficient one.
Don’t Be Wasteful:
When you are buying something in a store, tell the person you do not need a plastic bag (unless the items are heavy).
In your kitchen, do not clean that spill with paper towels (Bounty can kiss my gluteus maximus), use a cloth or towel of some sort that you can just clean off and re-use.
Shut off lights, computers, electronics, etc. when you are not using them.
Computers, televisions and many other electronics actually consume energy even while shut off, so it might be wiser to get a power bar and plug everything into it.
Try to not take long showers (I often break this one).
Just be aware that everything comes from somewhere. By wasting everything and consuming more of it than necessary, you are hurting the planet.
In conclusion, keep in mind that everything you are and everything you have came from the earth and will eventually return to it (unless blasted off into space). Keep in mind that our world is in bad shape and it is getting worse. Try your best to reduce your eco-footprint and realize that doing otherwise is both suicidal and cruel to every living thing on Earth. Realize that your grand kids are going to be rather frustrated with you if you do not make some kind of effort. If worst comes to worst, at least you can say you tried. At the end of the day, that is all any of us really can do.
Bottled Water:
Do not drink it! The amount of plastic wasted and water left over from water bottles is astronomical. Financially, it is also stupid as you are paying for that plastic instead of the water itself. Some people think that tap water is unsafe and less clean than bottled water but this is actually a myth. The following is an excerpt from an article from the BC Heights Newspaper: “The purity and safety standards for bottled water are considerably less stringent than those set forth for tap water. Biological and chemical contaminant tests are required to be done less frequently, and tests for several harmful parasites aren't required at all. The FDA even allows for a small amount of contamination from E. Coli and fecal coliform bacteria, which may indicate the presence of fecal pollutants. Tap water, on the other hand, must be confirmed to have none of these bacteria at all…. For the cleanest water, you don't need to look any further than your kitchen faucet.”* People drink bottled water because they have been led to believe that it is healthier than regular water. This is untrue; the confusion is created by corporations hoping to sell more. Instead of bottled water get a Nalgene or some type of reusable bottle and just fill that up with water or orange juice. You would be saving the environment and your money.
Eat Less meat or become a Vegetarian:
In 2006, the United Stations reported that the raising of animals for food was “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. The findings of this report suggest that it should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution and loss of biodiversity. Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale ….” It is a fact that nearly half of the water and 80 percent of the agricultural land in the United States is used to raise animals for food. ** “The National Audubon Society, the WorldWatch Institute, the Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, have recognized that raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else that we do.”** Another serious issue right now is the clearing of rainforests in many countries to make room for cattle grazing. By going vegetarian you will not be contributing to any of this. You will reduce your environmental footprint enormously. Studies have also shown that vegetarians are healthier, fitter and live longer than meat-eaters. Many people think that becoming a vegetarian is an impossibly hard thing to do and that you won’t receive enough protein: these are complete myths as well. For protein, just eat nuts, peanut butter sandwiches, tofu and plenty of other things. It’s really not that hard and you’ll be doing yourself and everyone on Earth a favour, not to mention the animals.
Take Transit, Ride a Bike or Drive a Hybrid:
Whatever you do, do not drive that behemoth-of-a-mother Hummer or I will not be your friend. Obviously, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the burning of fossil fuels to keep our cars running is a huge part of global warming. Of course, greenhouse gases are generated by buses and transit systems but are still the smarter alternative. Riding a bike wherever you go creates no emissions whatsoever, and bikes require no fuel so it is cheaper and more environmentally friendly to ride one. Lastly, if you are looking to get a car or your parents are looking to buy a new car, why not get a hybrid? Some people say “oh, I would if they weren’t so ugly!” but that is absurd. They look just as good as any other cars and if you are ready to kill the planet just for the sake of having a slightly better looking car then I do not know why you are reading this. Some people think hybrids are just too expensive. This is another myth. I drive a Honda Civic Hybrid with a suggested starting price of $22,600. *** That is not unreasonable. Not to mention all the money you save on gas. I have been driving mine for about 6 months now and it has given me no problems at all. Everyone agrees it is a fine automobile. If hybrids are not an option then you can at least make your next vehicle a fuel efficient one.
Don’t Be Wasteful:
When you are buying something in a store, tell the person you do not need a plastic bag (unless the items are heavy).
In your kitchen, do not clean that spill with paper towels (Bounty can kiss my gluteus maximus), use a cloth or towel of some sort that you can just clean off and re-use.
Shut off lights, computers, electronics, etc. when you are not using them.
Computers, televisions and many other electronics actually consume energy even while shut off, so it might be wiser to get a power bar and plug everything into it.
Try to not take long showers (I often break this one).
Just be aware that everything comes from somewhere. By wasting everything and consuming more of it than necessary, you are hurting the planet.
In conclusion, keep in mind that everything you are and everything you have came from the earth and will eventually return to it (unless blasted off into space). Keep in mind that our world is in bad shape and it is getting worse. Try your best to reduce your eco-footprint and realize that doing otherwise is both suicidal and cruel to every living thing on Earth. Realize that your grand kids are going to be rather frustrated with you if you do not make some kind of effort. If worst comes to worst, at least you can say you tried. At the end of the day, that is all any of us really can do.
Content Management Powered by CuteNews
