Living a Greener Lifestyle
By: Elsa Chin
One of the most talked about topics today is the environment. I am pretty knowledgeable on environmental issues and personally find them to be pretty important. But there are so many people that don’t understand the severity of this issue. We, as the global community, are polluting the world terribly and are not finding ways to help stop the damage. It is not all about recycling or doing river clean-ups, even though they are extremely encouraged and helpful, but there are a lot of little things that individuals can do to help out the environment.
Some of those things are: unplugging your cell phone charger when you are not using it, carpooling, recycling, buying products that are recyclable or have been recycled or even living a greener life. I was inspired to write this column because I was watching Discovery Health and there is this wonderful show called “Get Fresh with Sara Snow.” The show is about living a healthy life and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
I like this show because Snow demonstrates ways to improve your health by providing healthy alternatives to high fat meals such as lasagna, macaroni and cheese, etc. According to the Discovery Health Web site, “Sara inspires her audience to make healthier choices in their food, cleaning products, clothes, even transportation, thus empowering individuals to create healthier lives for themselves, their families and the environment.”
In the episode that I was watching, Snow demonstrated the importance of recycling everything. She took the audience to factories that use glass bottles to make kitchen countertops. This allows the bottles to be recycled and be made into something that is useful and pretty. She also took viewers to a design studio where designers used old skateboards to make fashionable handbags.
This topic is something that everyone should be concerned about. This is our lives and our future. But helping the environment will also help us. The world is becoming so dependent on the outcomes of globalization that people forget about the local farmers and domestic industries. The outcomes of globalization can affect the environment.
Having local farmers and domestic industries cut down on the distance that cargo needs to travel will decrease waste and pollution. The environment affects everyone and is something that everyone should understand.
In the past six months, issues regarding global warming have been top priority to governments all over the world. Global warming was recently brought to the United Nations Security Council; this type of issue has never been brought to the Security Council.
Living a greener lifestyle will help your body as well as improve the environment. Snow brought viewers into a completely green home. Everything inside was made from recyclable material from the carpet to the light bulbs. Also, the home used solar panels for energy, therefore reducing their monthly bill.
You don’t need to invest in a million dollar home in order to help the environment; you just need to be aware of the global environment. Instead of buying a Hummer or an SUV, maybe invest in a vehicle that is conserves gas and the environment. Be aware of the environment and your personal health.
Recognize your surroundings and understand that it is important. Treat the earth well and clean it up.
Source: Hartfordinformer.com
