Make Every Day Earth Day
If you want to make every day Earth Day, follow this simple rule of thumb: Use Less of Everything. Jettison the waste hidden in your daily routine. This is great for your personality and for our planet.
Use Less of Everything
(And have more money for the things you love.)
Housing
Who really needs a McMansion? Unless you’re the king on the hill entertaining leaders from another country, heating and cooling cavernous empty spaces is very hard on your wallet and humanity. If you were mining the coal, storing the spent nuclear fuel rod or tracking the gas yourself— instead of flipping a switch — you’d definitely be more mindful. Eight-six percent of power we use comes from nuclear and fossil fuel sources. Downsize.
Water
Drought-resistant plants and xeriscaping are beautiful, easy, and appropriate for the Southern California climate. Let the water flow to the farmers and focus on conservation.
Electricity
Smart choices can result in savings of up to 90% on your electric bill. Insulate. Don’t heat or cool your home or our water when you’re not there. Adjust the thermostat when you leave, put a timer on the water heater, or choose a water heater that heats on demand. Power down all electronic devices and unplug your phone and computer chargers when not in use.
LED Lighting
Going for incandescent to LED light bulbs represents a savings of 74 watts per bulb saving you up to 80% on your lighting costs.
Gasoline
America’s oil addition is staggering. We suck up almost nine million barrels every single day. Over $2,000 per household was spent on oil and gas last year. Bike to work, anyone? (Also walk, take public transit, carpool, or drive a fuel efficient hybrid or electric vehicle.)
Organic Food
Your body craves nutrients, not calories. There is a growing body of research supporting the evidence that buying organic means you’re choosing more nutrient-dense foods. (Check out the Organic Farming Research Association.) Kick the junk food addiction and spend less money on health care (a nearly $3 trillion annual bill in the U.S.).
Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Since 2002, Natalie Pace has been touring the world and featuring the most sustainable businesses, farms, individuals, restaurants and homes. Download your free Earth Gratitude mini ebooks, featuring The Dalai Lama, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Elon Musk, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra, Life is Good, the Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Arianna Huffington, Lynne Twist, Ron Finley and more, at http://earthgratitude.org/. Learn more about Natalie Pace at http://www.nataliepace.com/.