Today we celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
Raoni Metuktire is an Indigenous Brazilian leader and environmentalist. Born in 1932, he has seen a lot of change due to climate change.
In The Carbon Almanac, we feature his quote and it serves as a reminder that we are all connected.
We all breathe this one air, we all drink the same water. We all live on this one planet. We need to protect the Earth. If we don’t, the big winds will come and destroy the forest. Then you will feel the fear that we feel.
WE consume too much stuff, use too much plastic, and create too much garbage. Our consumerism fuels Overshoot Day, but also all our driving around and wasting more fossil fuels than what we need.
Consuming less is good for our air and our water, and over consumption contributes to our climate crisis. We all need to be responsible for the trash we create, but the producers of so much packaging also needs to be held responsible.
Consuming and wasting less is the key!
Today is the day after Earth Overshoot Day. But what does that mean for you?
Earth Overshoot Day is the date when humanity depletes all the natural resources that the Earth can regenerate in the year. So as of today August 2, we are living at a deficit. We are consuming more resources than we can replace.
This metric from the Global Footprint Network is a striking reminder of the importance of taking care of the planet and using resources responsibly. However, it can also serve as inspiration to take action. Individual actions can make a difference to help #MoveTheDate!
What YOU can do to help?
Buy less and reuse instead of purchasing something new.
Reduce your food waste.
Have SMALL families.
Reuse, Reuse, Reuse! A good place to start is by trying to reduce unnecessary purchases, opt for sustainable products, and reuse items whenever possible.
We all need to waste less, and work together to lift up our Earth.
Plastic is everywhere. It is hazardous to our health and our environment. Lets work together every day to end the Age of Plastic
These outstanding ideas are from Eureka Recycling!
Practical Tips for Going Plastic-Free
The most powerful zero waste action we can take is not creating waste in the first place. So how do we go about reducing consumption. Here are some helpful tips:
Start with the Basics: Swap out single-use plastic bags for reusable ones. Keep a stash in your car or by the door so they’re always handy.
Choose Reusables & Say NO to Single-Use Plastic: Carry your own refillable stainless-steel water bottle and use glass containers for food storage. Repurposing glass pasta jars for food storage can be a good option
Shop Mindfully: When grocery shopping, opt for products with minimal or recyclable packaging. Choose loose fruits and vegetables over those wrapped in plastic and items in glass or cardboard containers over plastic whenever possible. When shopping for clothes, try to choose used clothes and clothing made of cotton or hemp, which can help reduce microfiber pollution Many clothing, especially synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, are made from plastic polymers. When these synthetic fabrics are washed, they release tiny plastic fibers known as microfibers into the wastewater. These microfibers are too small to be caught by wastewater treatment plants and ultimately end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Evaluate Necessity vs. Want: Before making a purchase, ask yourself if the item is something you truly need or if it’s just a want. Delaying non-essential purchases can often lead to realizing you don’t need them at all.
Borrow or Share: Borrow or share items that you only need temporarily or infrequently, such as tools, books, or recreational equipment, rather than buying them outright.
Support Plastic-Free Initiatives: Encourage businesses and local governments to adopt plastic reduction initiatives. When possible, support companies that prioritize sustainable packaging and products.
Make Your Voice Heard: As we work to advance zero waste legislation at the state and federal levels, we know we cannot recycle our way out of the plastic production and pollution crisis. Let’s work together to hold petrochemical companies accountable and change systems to better support reduction and reuse.
While Plastic Free July lasts for just one month, the habits we cultivate and policies we advocate for can have a lasting impact. By reducing our plastic consumption, we conserve valuable resources, minimize pollution, and protect wildlife. Moreover, we contribute to a shift in societal norms towards more sustainable living practices.
Join the movement this Plastic-Free July and let’s make every month an opportunity to support a zero waste future.
And some ways to reduce your exposure to microplastics
Let’s get real about plastic. Plastic is made from fossil fuels and toxic to the environment and human health. We cannot recycle our way out of our plastic problem. Watch the video below:
Thank you, President Biden for your leadership and for all the years you have been in congress, vice president and president. You have a fabulous legacy of accomplishments, and I thank you many times over.
The Democrats all want to stay on the same page and be team players, but this is such a serious time they need to speak up. I need to express what my friends, family and the American voter is feeling.
We are in a frightening presidential election. The damage Donald Trump will do for the world and the environment is beyond our ability to imagine, and you know that! Also, the new Supreme Court decisions make it even more imperative that we win this election.
We all deal with age issues. Our backs go out, our knees and shoulders fall apart, and we forget things we don’t want to forget! Unless we are in pain we can deny aging to some extent. We deny that our energy level isn’t what it used to be, and we pretend we haven’t changed. Unfortunately, age issues don’t get younger. Instead, we need to move to the gratitude stage where we are thankful for all that has been and that we still have the chance to move forward.
We have gratitude, but we also have wisdom. Wisdom is our strength as we age! With all that is going on in the world we need individuals with more energy and new vision at the helm. Our wisdom tells us it is time to step aside for new positive leadership.
Thank you for your service. Now decide governing is more important than running for election. Pass the torch to the future and continue your amazing legacy and try to end these awful wars and continue to protect our precious environment. With gratitude.
The presidency is a very hard job. Thank you, President Biden.
We have a plastic problem. Manufacturing plastic creates air pollution, single-use plastic ends up in the ocean, toxic chemicals, and microplastics find their way into our food and water. Plastic permeates our lives, and we would all be healthier by reducing our plastic use.
Make it fun this month as you try to reduce the plastic you expose your family and yourself to plastic. See below for ideas to reduce your plastic exposure.
We all see plastic litter that is harmful to our waterways and our environment, but we might just be learning that plastic contains harmful chemicals and that it breaks down into microfibers. We can’t see the chemicals or the microfibers that can harm our bodies.
Plastic contains thousands of harmful chemicals that are especially harmful to children. These chemicals leach from plastic containers into our food and bodies. Plastic contains serious hormone disrupters that can cause obesity, diabetes, cancers and birth defects.
Water from plastic bottles has about double the microplastic level of tap water on average, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Chemistry. So unless your tap water is contaminated with unsafe elements, such as lead, it’s probably best to drink tap. Fill up a metal reusable bottle for when you go out. You can always filter your tap water. Depending on the filter, that may further reduce microplastic levels. (Check CR’s ratings of water filters.)
Do: Heat food in or on the stove, or by microwaving in glass. Don’t: Microwave in plastic.
Some heated plastics have long been known to leach chemicals into food. So if you’re warming up food, use a pan in the oven or on the stove, or if you’re microwaving, use a glass container. Also, avoid putting plastics in the dishwasher because of the high heat involved in cleaning.
Do: Buy and store food in glass, silicone, or foil. Don’t: Store food in plastic, especially plastic that may contain harmful chemicals.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that plastic food containers with the recycling codes 3, 6, and 7 may contain potentially harmful chemicals, unless they’re labeled “biobased” or “greenware.” Don’t store food in these types of containers. Instead, use containers made of glass or silicone, or wrap your food in aluminum foil. If you’re storing food in or eating food out of plastic containers, know that plastics with recycling codes 1 and 2 are more likely to be recyclable—though they are usually recycled into lower-quality plastics. And there still may be harmful or unknown chemicals in any type of plastic.
Do: Eat fresh food as much as possible. Don’t: Rely on processed food wrapped in plastic.
The more processed or packaged a food is, the higher the risk that it contains worrisome chemicals. Food cans are often lined with bisphenol A (or similar compounds). Buy fresh food from the supermarket, and—as much as possible—try to use refillable containers if your market allows. (Of course, with shopping made difficult by the coronavirus pandemic, prioritize your health and shop however is most feasible and safest.) Certain markets let you fill up cardboard or reusable containers with bulk items and weigh them, or you can use your own mesh bags for produce. Raw meat and fish need to be kept separate for safety reasons, but ask the store fishmonger or butcher to wrap these foods in wax paper instead of plastic. Take cloth—not plastic—reusable bags to the store to take your groceries home.
Do: Vacuum regularly. Don’t: Allow household surfaces to get dusty.
The dust in your house could be loaded with microplastics and chemicals that are found in plastic, such as phthalates. Cleaning up dust may help reduce the amount of plastics you inhale, especially if you are stuck inside for long periods of time during a period of social distancing. CR recommends vacuuming regularly with a HEPA filter, which is best for trapping dust. (Check CR’s ratings of vacuums.)
Do: Work with your community. Don’t: Assume your impact is limited to what you do in your personal life.
Legislation to limit the use of single-use plastics and plastic production may pull the biggest levers, but joining forces with community-level recycling groups can truly make a difference. Look for so-called zero-waste groups, which can offer guidelines for how to recycle or compost all your garbage—and which lobby for local rules that can restrict throwaway items. When possible, shop at markets that source goods locally, so they don’t require as much packaging and shipping. Seek out groups such as Upstream, a nonprofit working to create reusable takeout packaging for restaurants. And when possible, educate yourself about and support any city, county, and state legislation limiting single-use plastics.
My list to reduce plastic:
Always carry a reusable glass or metal water bottle, and reusable shopping bags with you.
Learn to refuse single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and coffee cups, straws, plastic bags and plastic utensils.
Purchase fruit and produce in the bulk section, and don’t place items in plastic bags.
Always search out products in glass jars instead of plastic containers.
When you must buy plastic products, choose ones that you can recycle rather than ones you must put in the trash.
Bring your own containers and shop the bulk section of your local food coop.
Pollinator Week has been a rainy week where I live in Minnesota. I was going to list all the pollinators coming to my yard, but it’s hard to see much activity when it rains hard every day! The rain doesn’t bother hummingbirds, and they are entertaining us at our hummingbird feeder.
Spiderwort, a native plant beauty!
The purpose of Pollinator Week is to heighten everyone’s awareness of how important pollinators are to us all. Our bees, butterflies and birds are having a hard time with loss of habitat and our overuse of chemicals. We use too many harmful chemicals to kill insects and fertilize our lawns and farm fields.
My message to you this pollinator week is reduce your dependence on harmful chemicals that kill pollinators. This includes butterflies and birds. Since 1970 North America has lost 3 billion birds. We can’t keep killing the insects and caterpillars the birds need to raise their young.
Birds and butterflies add so much to the quality of our lives Bees and other pollinators touch our lives every day in ways we may not realize. Imagine a world without most of the foods you love. Without bees we wouldn’t have the abundance of apples, pumpkins, strawberries, blueberries, or almonds that we enjoy. Pollinators even help milk production: the alfalfa and clover cows graze is replenished by seed pollinated by bees. A world without pollinators would not only leave us with fewer food choices, but would make it substantially harder to find the nutrition we need to survive.
Thoughts on creating a pollinator Garden:
Provide a variety of flower colors and shapes to attract different pollinators.
Whenever possible, choose native plants. Native plants will attract more native pollinators and can serve as larval host plants for some species of pollinators.
If monarch butterflies live within your area, consider planting milkweed so their caterpillars have food.
Plant in clumps, rather than single plants, to better attract pollinators
Choose plants that flower at different times of the year to provide nectar and pollen sources throughout the growing season http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/
“Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 19 are linked with cancer or carcinogenicity, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity and 11 with disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system. Of these same pesticides, 17 are detected in ground water, 23 have the ability to leach into drinking water sources, 24 are toxic to fish and other organisms vital to our ecosystem, 11 are toxic to bees, and 16 are toxic to birds.”
Happy Summer! What are ways we can show our love for our planet?
Below is from the Carbon Almanac :
The ‘official’ start to summer is June 20th in the Northern hemisphere though it seems that the heat of the season has arrived earlier.
There is a heat dome happening in North America with the mercury reaching temperatures that normally are seen later in the season. In addition, Delhi India recently broke temperature records with a new record of 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The previous record was 49.2 degrees Celsius (120.5 degrees Fahrenheit), which happened just two years ago.
High temperatures are particularly problematic for senior citizens as the body doesn’t cool down as easily. By mid century, about 20% of the world’s population will be over 60. If you are 35 years or older now, you are included in that number. Another vulnerable group are the unhoused.
Human actions are causing climate change which in turn is causing more extreme heat waves. Which can also lead to conditions for forest fires.
General Mills is not responding to questions about toxic chemicals in their foods. Please sign the petition below asking them to do better.
Consumer Reports is coming to the General Mills headquarters to demand answers on what the company plans to do to get plastic chemicals linked to cancer and other serious diseases out of its food products.
With consumers at our side, we will be delivering our petition to General Mills calling for immediate steps to eliminate these chemicals – known as phthalates – that Consumer Reports’ tests found in Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Progresso soup, and Annie’s Organic pasta.
In January, our tests of 85 different foods for phthalates found the highest concentration of these risky chemicals in Annie’s Organic Cheesy Ravioli, owned by General Mills. Since these plastic chemicals are known to interfere with the production of hormones – increasing the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and birth defects – we contacted company officials to take immediate action, since Annie’s organic products are marketed to parents of young kids.
Despite these concerning findings, as well as the chemicals showing up in their other brands, General Mills has refused to respond or engage with us. But you deserve answers and assurances that the company is addressing the problem – so we’re headed to corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, MN, with a group of concerned consumers to get them.
Health4earth 