Image: tungphoto. Tags: featured , global warming , go green , greenhouse gas , lower utility bills , sustainable earth. Name required. Email - will not be published required. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. What if you could teach someone younger than you the importance of EarthDay?
But while more than half boycott companies with unsustainable practices or products, eco-friendly concerns do not always translate to shopping behaviour. The survey revealed that a third of consumers want recycling and composting information to be clear on product packaging, and more information on sustainability to help them make eco-friendly purchases.
By making it easier for consumers, businesses can profit. Shoe company Adidas, for instance, united with Parley for Oceans to produce 7, limited edition sneakers made completely from plastic trash retrieved from the ocean. The sneakers sold out instantly, and Adidas is set to make a billion dollars from another production run of five million pairs.
Going green has several other benefits for companies. These include tax credits and incentives, improved efficiency, healthier workplaces, and cost savings — for instance by printing less, turning lights off in unused rooms and refilling ink cartridges. Reusing items also reduces waste from plastic packaging. This month , countries not including the U. So soil quality is built through many cultivation practices, biodiversity saved and used, with no pollution of air, water or land, recommends the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.
Consumers who buy organic can save themselves worries about health problems that occur due to consuming vegetables, fruits and animals contaminated by pesticides or antibiotics suggests WebMD.
It also saves biodiversity and positively impacts the air, water, and land when compared to conventional agricultural practices. Despite international efforts to protect forests and other habitats, a scientific study found that half of natural ecosystems were still at a high risk of being destroyed, so more action is still necessary. Encourage green practices to impact the environment in a number of ways. Protecting forests standing can significantly reduce global warming explains the Union of Corned Scientists Forests and Land.
Forest protection is in fact a better solution than restoring forests in fighting climate change according to Guardian. As Greenpeace points out, it is necessary to stop deforestation for many other reasons. Moreover, this would ensure survival of 1. Habitat destruction is rampant in aquatic systems too.
Coral reef destruction in oceans is also serious. The International Coral Reef Initiative reports that reefs support one million marine species, protect coastal areas, and are worth billions of dollars for the fishing and tourism industry. Land and soil degradation occurs due to intensive farming, over-grazing and deforestation.
This has led to desertification and arable land is being lost at "30 to 35 times the historical rates" according to the United Nations. These problems are best tackled by both small and large scale soil conservation efforts. These efforts can prevent consequences like:. Planting trees or maintaining perennial crops also provide habitats for wildlife; it also improves land stability and prevents landslides.
In urban areas soil conservation by tree planting improves the area's aesthetic value says Forestry Research, UK. There are an estimated 8. Human activities are causing extinction at 8 to times the natural level since , in what is called the sixth extinction event notes the Guardian. Reducing consumption in general can also help save species, as a study found many biodiversity hotspots are being threatened due to consumer demand. Poaching of species for their body parts like rhino horns, elephants' tusk, and tiger skins is the second important cause of biodiversity loss.
It is being tackled by reducing demand for these items and strict rules to prevent their illegal trade. Biodiversity is essential as it provides clean water, food, medicines, clothing, timber, biofuels, and fossil fuels, through ecosystem services of biodiversity , and ensures soil fertility, air quality, carbon sequestration, and moderation of climate.
In short, without biodiversity life would be difficult for people. So loss of species is something everybody should be concerned about as it goes beyond loss of some plants and animals. Recent technologies are showing adverse effects, and there is need for caution before their use is expanded. To limit these impacts, 39 countries have banned use of GMOs. Ensuring label information about GMOs in food products is the best way to provide people a choice to curtail its use and ill effects since countries like the U.
By making the effort to read labels and fighting for labelling laws, people can make an informed choice on consuming GMO foods. Join the Green Coast community to engage in a number of different discussion topics on how we can make the world a better place. The advantages of going green can fall into three major categories: Economic, Health and Environmental Benefits. A significant economic benefit of going green is that it helps lower costs and save money.
Use of renewable energy helps reduce energy consumption which in turn helps save money used on electricity bills. An apparent benefit of going green at home is that it helps reduce water and power bills significantly. It is possible when we reduce water consumption for example if we run the washing machines full loads or add water-saving appliances in shower and washrooms. Another way to potentially save a hundred dollars is through the purchase of energy star appliances and water-saving plumbing systems.
Recycling is another way to go green. Recyclable products last longer than other products which can save on money used for repair and maintenance.
When we recycle products as well as create Do-it-Yourself DIY items, we not only reduce wastage, but we also become more creative which helps create new products consistently and thus reduce the cost of buying new products. Buying recycled products is also much cheaper and helps save on production costs since it would have been costly to create new products from fresh and virgin raw materials.
Waste reduction also helps save the cost of waste disposal. Another advantage of going green is that one can receive discounts and incentives for green living, for instance, some states offer incentives to those that opt to live in green homes.
Green homes create ways to consume less energy which helps reduce utility and maintenance costs. Going green by reducing or eliminating air pollutants makes the air we breathe in clean which means good health and less expenditure on hospital bills and insurance products.
Going green also reduces dependency on fossil fuels and other depleting resources. Organic farming boosts the economy and means that we can eat local, organic and seasonal produce which are affordable.
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