consumption – Health4earth

Jump Into July Happiness

Yahoo, jump into July! We are half-way through 2018, so enjoy July and find extra time to enjoy the outdoors. Action For Happiness has a new July calendar. Always add a daily outdoor activity for your happiness. Load the Action for Happiness July calendar here.

It’s July and, yes, many places on Earth are hot, but I hope you still can get outside for walks, bike rides, or just sitting and listening. Appreciate the Earth’s amazing diversity and beauty this July. Will our hot temperatures create more climatarians, thinking about how our actions affect the earth as we consume, eat, drive around, travel and waste? A climatarian is aware of their complete footprint on Earth. Maybe in July, strive for #PlasticFreeJuly #ChemicalFreeJuly or #nofoodwasteJuly.

July happiness is being kind to yourself and others, being kind to our earth, and spending time in nature.

A song/poem for July

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a day that I could give you
I’d give to you the day just like today
If I had a song that I could sing for you
I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I…

If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I’d make a wish for sunshine for all the while

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me smile. John Denver

Some sites to help you reduce waste:

https://takeoutwithout.org/5-ways-to-buy-less-stuff/

https://www.savethefood.com/

https://health4earth.com/reduce-chemicals/

Reduce Consumption and Waste

Earth Day Zero waste tips from http://earth911.com Take a zero-waste pledge.

• Challenge yourself to focus on the first of the 3 R’s and REDUCE your consumption
• To better visualize your efforts, use a glass jar or bowl to collect your waste for the day
• Use cloth produce bags for buying in bulk
• Visit a local farmer’s market for fresh produce, meats and cheeses.
• Bring lunch in a glass container or jar.
• Carry washable utensils and a cloth napkin in your lunch bag or purse.
• Take this day to de-junk your mailbox by removing yourself from mailing lists of unwanted promotions and catalogs. Earth 911

This is a good list, but to be really zero waste you need to compost food

scraps, and reuse and refill jars

Take a zero-waste pledge:

http://earth911.com/earth-day-pledge-2016/

The amazing Johnson family and zero waste: http://earth911.com/home-garden/7-steps-zero-waste-lifestyle/

Doing The Best I Can!

May was the hottest month on record, with Alaska and India struggling with unheard of heat. http://ecowatch.com/2015/06/23/heat-waves-hit-planet/2/ May was also the wettest month ever in the United States, but California is in severe drought.

Even Pope Francis is concerned about our warming planet. The pope says for the common good of the planet we should consume less, and reduce our use of paper, plastic, and water. Also, he advocates for less use of our cars and air conditioners. http://www.startribune.com/pope-s-message-on-earth-s-fate-is-a-call-to-action-regardless-of-faith/308943131/ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/opinion/the-pope-and-climate-change.html?_r=0

I love that the pope gives people specific ways to help our earth. A cute story follows:

Environmental activist Wangari Maathai, of Climate Reality shares a story about a hummingbird:

“A raging fire is burning in the jungle.

It’s such an overwhelming disaster that all of the animals are watching the conflagration in shock.

A hummingbird says, “I’m going to do something about the fire.”

It flies to the nearest stream and takes a drop of water.

It races back to the fire, where it drops the water on the flames. Back and forth it goes, over and over, while the larger animals — like the elephant whose trunk could deliver so much more water — stand watching.

Eventually they ask the hummingbird, “What do you think you can do? You’re too little!”

Without pausing, the hummingbird answers: “I am doing the best I can!””

The story has a simple point.

“I may feel insignificant, but I certainly don’t want to be like the animals watching the planet goes down the drain. I will be a hummingbird. I will do the best I can.” — Wangari Maathai

http://www.upworthy.com/in-this-charming-short-story-a-hummingbird-explains-why-we-have-to-at-least-try?c=cr1 (The complete version of this story)

Don’t stand by and watch, do the best you can. What is one thing you are doing to reduce your carbon foot print? Every little bit can add up to a whole lot!