Here is a list of some things our WDP team does to help the planet! We compiled the list from our Facebook posts for the week. Maybe some of these are things you hadn’t thought of and can add to your own life. We hope this is a useful resource.
1.) PLASTIC
First, we are talking about PLASTIC — one of the biggest pollution problems. We know a lot of you have heard about using reusable grocery bags, but have you considered getting reusable produce bags? These bags are one more way we can cut down on the plastic we use. Consider looking into purchasing some of these, I got mine on Amazon.
Visit these sites to learn more about what plastic bags, and plastic in general, are doing to our environment:
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/…/plastic_bag_facts.html
https://www.reusethisbag.com/…/plastic-shopping-bags-envir…/
If you happen to forget your reusable bags while grocery shopping there are a few things you can do with the plastic bags you take home. You can reuse them as trash bags in bathroom trash bins. You can also take them back to some stores where they recycle them. I know my local Target store has a place to drop them off. Check out your local stores.
Comments:
Rachel Cummings Fishing nets make up nearly half of the oceans plastic pollution. Animal agriculture is also a leading cause of ocean dead zones and species extinction. I’ve stopped eating all animal products.
Shirley Munroe Shut down slaughterhouses that would help tremendously
We add to that: While the long-term goal would be to eliminate the need for slaughterhouses, what can we/you do to start that process? You can reduce your meat consumption for the week by not eating meat for a day or two, some people already do this and call it No Meat Mondays.
Julius Csotonyi My wife and I pick up plastic trash from the ground whenever we walk our dogs — especially trash that could entangle animals, such as elastic bands and beer six-pack holders, and before tossing them, we cut such plastic or elastic rings to prevent them from ensnaring animals should they still make their way out of a landfill.
Sirenianinternational: Some stores still carry paper bags but you need to ask for them.
Mikemeyerphotopro: I never buy bottled water! That is my biggest pet peeve. You would think everyone lives in a desert with how much of that stuff we use. How bout a water filter? I think our dependence on oil is from the consumption of our plastic not from cars.
2.) CLOTH DIAPERING!
(We’re not here to discuss whether or not someone should have kids or not, but if you do, switching to cloth can have a big positive impact for the environment).
It takes about 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose. So that means, since they were invented in the 1950s, every diaper is still sitting in a landfill. In the US alone, parents use about 27.4 billion diapers a year. Compared to cloth, they also use more natural resources and are loaded with chemicals and dyes that are harmful to the environment and HUMANS!
The average baby uses about 2,000 to 4,000 diapers, and even up to 7,000. Cloth diapers can be used throughout a child’s life until they are potty trained, and for more than one child, which means you only need to buy a set of around 20! Many people also sell or donate their cloth diapers once they are done.
It may seem intimidating, but they are really quite easy to use. If you’re out and about, you can store them in wet bags until you get home.
And here’s a bonus, they come in adorable patterns!
Read more about it here
Comment:
Melissa Williams I know this probably isn’t feasible for many but if it helps a few to share…. our guest bath has an exterior door to the patio so when after my little one gets a bath, I use a hose to siphon the bath water outside for the grass/plants and sometimes even right into the pool if she didn’t go too crazy with the soap
3.) SAVING ENERGY
Now, am going to briefly talk about 2 things that go together, and not only can they help our environment but it can also save YOU money!
Everyday while I am at work I turn my thermostat up a few degrees so I am not keeping my house ice cool for no reason. This act reduces the energy used daily and even decreases my electric bill! (If you have pets in your house please remember to still set it at a temperature that is comfortable for them.)
I also turn off any lights that I am not using. For example, at the Wild Dolphin project office I arrive at 7 am, 2 hours before anyone else. The only light I turn on is the one in my office. I am also a stickler for turning off lights in my apartment that are not necessary. There is no need to light up places that are not being used. This also cuts down on our electric bill and reduces the amount of energy used.
It may be hard to understand the connection between energy conservation and helping out the environment. The biggest connection is that if we reduce our energy need, the power plants supplying our energy are releasing less toxic fumes into our environment. It may be a small amount when you consider you are just one household, but if we multiple this by 7 billion it can make a huge impact.
4.) REDUCING and REUSING
Today, we want to talk about REDUCING and REUSING. A lot of the world focuses on recycling, but frankly, recycling is not enough.
Rather than buying things like furniture, clothes and baby gear, all new, consider shopping second-hand. Places like Facebook Marketplace or LetGo are a great place to look. We know people who also do parties to trade clothes when they want a wardrobe update.
As far as REDUCING our consumption and impact, there also a few things we do. For instance, out on our research vessel we take Navy showers to conserve water, which is basically turning water on and off when needing to rinse soap off. While we don’t expect anyone to do that at home, be mindful of your water consumption. If you really like a long hot shower, maybe make that a luxury once a week. Also, you can line dry your clothes rather than using a dryer.
Comment:
Melissa Williams ladies – to save water we can all turn off the shower while shaving our legs!
5.) RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
This is day 5 of our #EarthDay celebration. Today we are going to talk about being a responsible consumer. There are a lot more environmentally-friendly products available we can take advantage of. While the upfront cost may be higher, ultimately reusing products saves money. Also, it’s imperative to do research on brands, and make the best choices possible.
Here are a few examples of things we can purchase instead of single use materials:
a.) Reusable ziplock bags: more expensive buying them the first time, but it will replace buying new sandwich bags every week/month. I know these are still some form of plastic but it drastically cuts down on the number of plastic bags you go through if you get reusable ones.
b.) Reusable Silicone baking mat: replaces the need to buy aluminum foil
c.) Reusable makeup remover cloth: to replace disposable wipes
d.) Silicone stretch lids or even better beeswax wrap for food: to replace plastic wrap
e.) Bamboo cutting boards: instead of plastic cutting boards
As far as researching brands, did you know that many lipsticks, lotions and moisturizers use palm oil and shark liver as a base. In 2008, L’Oreal and Unilever both agreed to stop using shark oil. So if you don’t want shark in your make-up, find companies that have stopped using it. Some companies even label their products vegan, especially for hair products (if you are in a hurry).
Read more here.
Comment:
Melissa Williams l used to avoid buying products made with palm oil but it is so tough because there are sooo many products made with it. Finally there is an npo that is committed to finding a way to source it sustainably…. https://rspo.org/about#about-sustainable-palm-oil
Cassie Volker– Another thing you can do is ask party hosts to not use balloons and to use biodegradable utensils. I kindly asked my bridal shower hosts to do this and they were fine with these requests, which I very much appreciated. You can also ask service providers if they have a more environmentally friendly option. The catering company for our rehearsal dinner only provided plastic utensils, but they deducted the cost on our quote and now we can provide our own biodegradable utensils. It never hurts to ask, and the more you do the more companies will see that they need to have eco-friendly options.
