Earth Day

Happy Earth Day from the future!

For those of you back in Iowa, I'm 12 hours ahead. In the spirit of Earth Day, I would like to pay reverence to this wonderful planet on which we find ourselves. Tomorrow, in my small pocket of the world, colleagues and I will have a timely environmental awareness workshop wherein we will touch on such topics as pollution, pollution reduction, global warming, recycling, and environmental conservation. I will personally present on the 10 solution to pollution reduction. During the weekend, I hope to devote time to planting flowers and making my home more 'green'. Though, I can happily take note that my personal carbon footprint since living in rural Thailand has reduced tenfold.

For those of you interested in increasing awareness of environmental realities during Earth Day, I would suggest checking out the documentary Earthlings which, presents extensively on the populace of the Earth.

I'm also obliged to divuldge 10 solutions to pollution reduction (on which, I will present in Thai tomorrow. They are as follows. Enjoy! By the way, if anyone reading wants to leave a comment, feel free.


Reduce Pollution! It’s up to you to save the environment for the future so your children and grandchildren can enjoy the Earth.


How to reduce pollution: REDUCE REPAIR REUSE RECYCLE

1. Try to not use plastic bags. Buy a cloth bag to buy groceries and household items. Cloth Bags are inexpensive and can be used over and over again.

2. Do not throw trash on the ground including plastic wrappers, straws, cans, or bottles. These items should be put in a trash container or bag. Trash on the ground pollutes grass and trees, spreads disease, and harms animals. It’s ugly too!

3. Travel together with friends or use public transportation when traveling far to reduce the use of air pollution caused by vehicles.

4. If traveling nearby (a kilometer or two), walk or ride a bike! It is unnecessary to use a motorcycle or car to travel a short distance. Walking and biking are also good exercise and will make you feel good.

5. Help clean up your community! If you see trash on the ground, pick it up and put it in a trash container. Make sure to be careful to not touch it with your hand because it could have harmful bacteria on it.

6. Recycle! Clean and separate recyclable trash. Once you are done using something, clean out the container it was in and put it in a designated recycleable container. For example, if you are drinking a coke in a glass bottle, rinse the bottle out with water and put it in the recycle container for glass. Separate if from plastics, and tin and cardboard.

7. Try not to burn everything. Try not to burn often either. If trash can’t be recycled and it must be burned, try to burn it in a designated area away from houses and people. Choose an open area and contain the burning by placing the trash in a stone container.

8. Repair & reuse. Try not to buy new things all the time but think of how you can repair old things and reuse them. Think creatively. Use old, warn clothes to make new clothes. Use old plastic containers to hold things or to make toys for children. Use old tire rubber as flowerpots. Keep things in good condition by taking care regularly.

9. Use natural household products. Reduce the use of harmful chemicals in your daily life. Often times popular brands of laundry detergent and fabric softener, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, and perfume can be harmful to your body and to the environment. Try to buy or make products that are chemical free and made from natural ingredients such as herbs, flowers, fruits, roots, and plants.

10. Compost and use natural fertilizer! Compost is very easy and good for the environment. Save your raw left over food that has not been cooked in oil such as fruit rinds and skins, vegetable skins, pits, nuts, pulp, and shells. Put it in a container together with leaves, grass, rice bran, dirt, and branches. Gather animal feces from buffalo, cows, or pigs and mix it. Continue to gather these ingredients for two months and stir it regularly. This will make excellent fertilizer for crop so chemical are not necessary.


Educate and tell your neighbors! Get involved and clean up the community, plant flowers and trees, plant vegetables, recycle, repair, make organic fertilizer, use organic household products, reduce burning trash, and try to avoid using plastic.