How I’m going to save the world…

Ok, I won’t really be saving the whole world, but I will at least be trying my best to do my part. Here are things I’m going to be focusing on this year to make a difference, no matter how small.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” –

Theodore Roosevelt

Reduce Plastic Use

On my quest to become plastic free the first step is to start paying attention to the plastic in my life, then start cutting it out – one step at a time.

’m still working on eliminating plastic bags and plastic straws and also drastically cutting back on drink containers. I wish I could say that I am already 100% successful but I am an imperfect human being doing my best.

Next up is examining my plastic consumption while grocery shopping. This has definitely been an eye opener. Once you start noticing all the plastic in our daily lives it can become overwhelming to think of how to cut it out and you may want to say, “It’s hopeless! Just forget it!” Remember… baby steps… every step you take is a step forward.

Compost

This is going to be an interesting one. We just happen to have two horses. Did you know each horse produces approximately 37 pounds of poop per day? PER DAY! Together that is 74 POUNDS! Yikes! What does one do with 74 pounds of horse poop per day? Turn it into nutrient rich fertilizer for the garden of course. So begins our composting journey. Although I can add my kitchen waste to that compost pile I think I will also start a worm compost bin as well, my students will love it! Plus I’ll end up with some beneficial worms for the garden as well!

Be a Savvy Shopper

Whether it is shark oil or palm oil, I am determined to start looking at the ingredients in the products I buy.  100 million sharks are killed every year, that’s 11,417 sharks/hour! Check your product for squalene, it can be found in cosmetics, lip balm, lotion, sunscreen and even pet chews and supplements. If it is in there – choose a different one.

The demand for palm oil is increasing so naturally the supply must also increase. Unfortunately that means deforestation which is placing many species at risk and clearing well developed, oxygen producing, carbon absorbing rainforests! One and a half acres are destroyed every second! You will find palm oil everywhere: processed foods, margarine, cosmetics, shampoos, etc. Cutting it out of your life completely would be difficult and could even be harmful, as some other oil will need to take its place. Look for sustainable palm oil in the products you buy, support brands who choose to use sustainable palm oil. It can be difficult to identify which brands are using sustainable palm oil, instead of trying to research while standing in the grocery aisle (I won’t mention any names), know before you go. Look for the RSPO (Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil) logo.

Eat Less red meat

How does eating less red meat help the planet? Well, cows have a lot of gas. Actually, there are just a lot of cows due to supply and demand, and together they produce a lot of gas. Methane gas to be precise, one of the greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. There are a lot of other environmental concerns when it comes to cattle, from their feed to deforestation for grazing. Just having one meat free meal a week can make a huge difference. Bonus: There are also a lot of health benefits to eating less red meat!

Green Spaces

Ok, I live in the desert southwest, my garden is going to look different than those luscious green gardens that you see in garden magazines. I would like to start growing some of my own food. Salsa for those eggs anyone? I would also like to beautify my yard while focusing on native, drought tolerant plants that are helpful to birds, butterflies and bees. I think I’ll even plant a tree or two. My plants will be giving the planet more oxygen – how much closer can I get to saving the world?! Of course, this is the most risky of all my endeavors. With my brown thumb I may be about to embark on a plant murder spree – if you have any tips for me please share! The plants will thank you!

Use my Voice

Last, but certainly not least, perhaps the most important thing we can do, and I’m doing it right now! Talk! Talk about what you are doing, what changes you are making. Start a blog, lead by example.
Vote! Contact your representatives, tell them what matters to you and encourage others to do so as well. Even if you aren’t perfect, being aware is the name of the game and sharing that awareness with others will make a difference!

There are countless other ways you can live your best green life. These are just my commitments for 2019. I’d love to hear some of yours!