We all should have a special interest in the environment — after all, it’s where we live, work and raise our kids. A healthy environment enhances our quality of life. And if we keep it healthy, we’re ultimately keeping ourselves healthy.
From your living room to a world away, here are some easy ways to protect the environment:
• At home. An obvious energy saver would be to turn off the lights when leaving the room, but what about unplugging seldom used appliances? Plugged in appliances that are turned off still sap energy. Stereos, video games, chargers, and TVs can really add up when it comes to wasted energy at home so unplug them whenever you can.
• In public: With tens of thousands of vehicles on the road every day, the private automobile is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gases in Canada and is responsible for 15 per cent of our total emissions. To reduce the impact of your commute on the environment, carpool whenever possible. And if you must drive, avoid idling for long periods of time.
• Around the world: Don’t forget the rest of the planet. With the Internet connecting us to the rest of the world with the click of a mouse, you can take action on environmental issues around the globe. Charities like Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), an international development organization, give you the opportunity to plant a garden and provide clean drinking water in communities suffering from extreme poverty.
The website www.ccfcanada.ca will show you ways to take action and help a community become environmentally healthy today.
Pull the plug
Home entertainment equipment are power hogs — even when they are turned off. Stereos, video games, chargers, and TVs can really add up when it comes to wasted energy so unplug them when you can.
