Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Consume less. Everything people do, including eating (especially meat), watering lawns, heating homes and driving cars, consumes resources. Everything people buy requires resources to produce and ship. Be conscious of all the small decisions you make in your everyday life that increase the total human impact on the planet. See related eHow articles How to Live With Less, How to Live Off the Land and How to End World Hunger.
Step2
Choose to have fewer (or no) children. The pressure on Earth's resources by its ever-increasing human population is one of the most dire issues that the planet faces.
Step3
Learn what types of fish are in danger of being overfished and don't buy them at the store or order them in restaurants. The United Nations site offers background information (see Additional Resources). For specific recommendations on which fish are caught and farmed in ways that support a healthy environment, check out Seafood Watch at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's site (in Resources).
Step4
Consider driving a smaller or hybrid car. Of course, buying a new car equals more consumption, so approach this issue with some caution. But if you're already looking for a new car, get one that's energy efficient.
Step5
Support international agreements to limit the output of greenhouse gases. Reduce your own energy use as much as possible. See the eHow titled How to Prepare for Skyrocketing Energy Costs.
Step6
Downsize your life. See Related eHows How to Get Organized and How to Get Rid of What You Don't Want.
Step7
Buy organic food. Pesticides take a toll on the environment and frequently spawn pesticide-resistant pests. Buying organic food directly from the growers supports small farms and promotes biodiversity. See the eHow on How to Prepare an Organic Vegetable Garden.
Step8
Lend your energy to protecting the drinking water supply on both micro and macro levels. Access to and availability of clean drinking water is a growing global crisis. Cut back on personal water use with water-wise gardens (How to Design a Dry Garden) and promote development of sound water policies in your town or region (How to Manage Growth in Your Community). Or join forces with scientists working to perfect the difficult and expensive process of desalinization (waterdesalination.com).
Comments
MEBRANDON said
on 9/15/2008 I HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO RUIN THE EARTH. MY FRIENDS SEEM TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO DO THIS. USE AS MUCH ENERGY AS YOU CAN. USE AS MUCH GAS AS YOU CAN. KEEP ALL THE LIGHTS ON. DON'T RECYCLE, KILL EVERY BUG YOU CAN/ SPREAD EVERY INSECTICIDE ON YOUR PLANTS. USE ALL THE WATER FOR YOUR GRASS. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE. I AM TRULY SICK OF THIS.THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO CONCEPT OF THE FUTURE,
byABPryor said
on 4/27/2007 I agree with maddy - that's just ridiculous jargon - We are having far less children than our parents and grandparents!
Kids are not the problem - a wasteful society is!
maddybbest said
on 4/20/2007 its a little strange that you suggest not to have children. if we dont have babies, there will be no one left to live on the earth that we preserve
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Fill a bucket with water and use a mug to wash yourself all over with that water. Pour water on yourself, apply soap all over, then pour more water over yourself to wash off that soap. Quick, fun, and saves a whole lot of water!
Similarly keep a mug at the basin. When you need to wash your hands or face, fill that mug with water from the tap and proceed using the water from the mug. Fill it again if necessary. You will save twice the amount of water. Allowing the tap to flow wastes twice the amount of water that you really need.
You will be amazed at the amount of water that you will save by these methods.