Top Ten Things You Can Do for the Environment Right Now

1. Become a Vegetarian or at least reduce meat consumption. Agribusiness contributes to soil erosion, waterway contamination, and rainforest and ozone depletion. Drag fishing obliterates our oceans and fish populations.
2. Reduce waste. Recycling is an easy and accessible way to reduce landfill and incineration waste. Composting provides the soil with important nutrients that lend to renewal.
3. Buy local and organic. California has a bevy of local farmer’s markets with fresh, inexpensive, organic produce. Organic is, by definition, not allowed to be genetically modified.
4. Xeriscape your lawn. Using native plants that rely on the yearly rainfall of the area helps to cut down on lawn watering and pesticide use, and to encourage proliferation of wildlife.
5. Buy green. Buy recycled paper and plastic products, invest in “green” companies or funds, and look for alternative fuel sources or vehicles.
6. Reduce chemicals. Using household chemicals can be detrimental to pets and children’s health, as well as your own. They can also cause imbalances in the insect kingdom, destroying important predator species.
7. Support wild areas. Protecting natural resources such as forests and open space is essential to the ozone and to the proliferation of wildlife. Let your representatives know that these areas are important to you.
8. Reduce packaging. Buy products that aren’t packaged or that have renewable and recyclable packaging. Reuse packaging products or take to a store that will reuse them.
9. Reduce home waste. Turn off lights, A/C, heat, and water when it’s not being used. Excess energy and water use contributes to high bills and energy crises.
10. Get Active! Funding or volunteering for environmental groups, even once in a while, helps guarantee that their work can continue.