7 Habits of an Ecologically Conscious Manitoban
(source: Resource Conservation Manitoba)
It's fine to say that people should green their habits of living. But where should we start? What are ecologically conscious Manitobans doing these days? Here is a list from Resource Conservation Manitoba.
1. Travel car-light.
Take the bus, walk, or cycle to work or school. Walk with your kids to school. Make friends with your feet. Arrive healthier and happier by choosing environmentally friendly ways of getting around. It's a great way to reduce pollution, ease traffic congestion and give higher gas prices the boot.
2. Save energy and money.
Simple things can do the trick -- insulate, keep cool with fans, wash clothes in cool water, use a clothesline, turn off unused appliances, install a low-flow shower head. Start with low-cost and no-cost measures at home.
3. Buy local.
Eat fresh food from local producers. Buy products made in your community. Help create jobs and build our local economy by keeping your dollars circulating in Manitoba.
4. Be garbage-free.
Recycle and compost. Re-use or donate unwanted items to thrift organizations. Have a yard sale. Keep useful materials out of the landfill.
5. Shop smart.
Rethink. What are the impacts of making, transporting, using and throwing away the things we buy? Look for durable and repairable items made from recycled and recyclable materials.
6. Choose clean living.
Use non-toxic cleaners, eat organically, avoid synthetic chemical pesticides, choose ecofriendly paints. Choose healthy alternatives.
7. Get together with others.
Join and support organizations that are working for environmental change. Volunteer and donate. Talk with neighbours and friends at work, at school and in your community. Set a goal (non-toxic cleaners at school, secure bike lockup at work, recycling at the community centre) and work with others to help make it happen. If you do that and don't give up, it will.
A final suggestion -- don't try to do everything all at once. Pick one thing to start. Can't give up your car completely? Try taking the bus, cycling or walking to work just one day a week. If everyone did that, we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from workplace commuting by 20 per cent right away ... with no inconvenience, no increased costs, and no fancy new technologies. Good luck!
"When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world"
- John Muir
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