Earth Day’s authors suggest “11 actions for the planet during a pandemic”. Check them out here.
*11 Actions for the Planet During a Pandemic," March 19, 2020, https://www.earthday.org/11-actions-for-the-planet-during-a-pandemic/
The global climate action organization Earth Day urges, “as we exercise our individual and collective responsibility to reduce viral transmissions to preserve human health, we can still exercise our responsibility to act for environmental health. We can use this solitary time to reassess our current habits and develop new ones that are better for the planet.”* Earth Day’s authors suggest “11 actions for the planet during a pandemic”. Check them out here. *11 Actions for the Planet During a Pandemic," March 19, 2020, https://www.earthday.org/11-actions-for-the-planet-during-a-pandemic/ Sierra Club Magazine writer Mary DeMocker makes several suggestions for how to help children ease their anxiety that is growing from all they are hearing about the climate crisis. First, it's important to just listen as they verbalize their fears. In response, it is important to be honest with them but to also point out the progress and activism working to counter the effects. With her own children, she "assured them that apocalypse isn’t inevitable and that scientists say we have the time and the technology to avert catastrophe."* Another approach that DeMocker suggests is spending time outside connecting with nature. Finally, be a role model or work as a family to take concrete steps yourselves. For example, "an easy first step might be a family challenge to reduce food waste by 20 percent. Or, students could do school research projects about the kind of energy their local utility uses, and who gets to make that decision. Families could explore what’s happening locally with forest restoration or fossil fuel resistance, and decide how to support those efforts."*
*Mary DeMocker, Jan 25 2020. "So your kids are stressed out about the climate crisis. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/so-your-kids-are-stressed-out-about-climate-crisis?suppress=true&utm_source=greenlife&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter In Southeast Asia, Africa and South America, large areas of rainforest are being cleared to make room for palm oil production. Complex ecosystems are being replaced by monoculture palm oil plantations, driving endangered species like orangutans to the brink of extinction. The burning of native forests creates air pollution, sets the stage for large-scale erosion, and contributes to climate change.
The World Wildlife Fund reports that more than half of all packaged products Americans consume contain palm oil – everything from soap and cosmetics to processed foods and even ice cream. Finding palm oil-free alternatives in the supermarket is not always easy. Nether Providence Soap Company and Hand in Hand Soap are two examples of local companies whose personal care products do not contain palm oil. Are your investments aligned with your principles? Consider impact investing. You do your best to live sustainably, but what about your retirement savings? The last few years have seen rapid growth in the area of “impact investment” – i.e., investment in commercial enterprises that serve a social or environmental mission. Major mutual fund companies are now offering options that let you align your investments with your principles – for example, by screening out petrochemical companies and emphasizing renewable energy. Photo by Zac Zac on Flckr When choosing a candidate, take into account their concern for protecting our environment. Voting is a privilege and a duty. Actions by governments, both local and federal, are an important part of protecting our air, water, and natural resources for the future. The recently released United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report states that we have little time to make major changes to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. To make changes this large and within the 12 year time frame stated in the report, it will require the actions of lawmakers setting standards and making rules that will make this change happen. Therefore, it is imperative that we elect people into government who understand this and are willing to act. Don’t underestimate the power of your individual vote! In recent elections, a number of races were so close that they were decided by a relatively small number of votes. In addition, many environmental issues are decided at the local level by city or state level officials, so voting in your local races can be crucially important. Summer is high season for citizen science projects that appeal to both kids and adults.
Throughout the country and around the world, citizen science projects use data gathered by ordinary people to monitor environmental trends. The proliferation of smartphones has encouraged the development of apps that make it easy to submit data and photos inexpensively and in uniform format. Summer is high season for many of these projects, and kids as well as adults can get in on the action. Specific examples include
The following articles and websites provide an overview of multiple citizen science projects: Take your kids camping, because nature needs kids as much as kids need nature. I recently attended an early childhood conference whose keynote speaker, Ken Finch of Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood, made a big impression on me. We all know children need nature, but what about the other way around? Have we considered how crucial is the love of nature formed in childhood? Without it, too few children will grow up to fight for nature. –Reisa Mukamal According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, between 5 and 7 million pets are put in homeless shelters in the United States every year, and 60 percent of those are euthanized.
Despite this, and despite the realities of the pet industry–inbreeding, factory-like conditions, overbreeding, and other perils – many people choose to buy pets from high-cost breeders. It’s important that we find homes for the animals already here before we support breeders who continue to breed large quantities of animals for profit. The greenest and kindest way to get a dog or cat is from a pet shelter. You can help reduce pet overpopulation by spaying or neutering your pet. In this way, you’ll take an active role in minimizing your pet’s current and future impact on the environment. Further, don’t buy an exotic pet or one that was caught in the wild. Their native environments suffer greatly when they are removed, and it is very hard for these animals to adapt to domesticated life. The Delaware County SPCA is located nearby in Media PA. They have all sorts of animals that need a home, dogs, cats, rabbits and birds. In addition, the Delco SPCA takes donations of old towels, blankets, office supplies and more to keep their operation going. |
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