Wipes are not flushable - even when the packaging says so. Wipes do not break down and can clog city sewer pipes. This can cost lots of money and create even worse problems if the pipes burst. The only paper product that should be flushed is toilet paper.
Even though you may not be driving too much right now, things will go back to normal. Keep in mind when we are back to our old routine, idling cars unnecessarily pollutes the environment. It is especially harmful to young bodies. Please remember this when picking your child up at school and turn your engine off in the pick-up line.
When it rains, all the dirt on your car, including toxic brake dust, washes down the storm drain and out to the ocean. Keeping your vehicle clean is important, but washing your car in your driveway also washes all of those pollutants down the drain.
Keep your car clean by bringing it to a carwash instead of washing it on your driveway.
Think about the errands you need to run on the weekend. Try to combine as many as you can in one trip so you do not have to drive more. You'll save gas, money and time.
It is estimated if every American went meatless for just one day we would save 100 billion gallons of water and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.2 million tons
Consider going meatless one day a week or one day every month.
Plastic debris is responsible for the deaths of over one million seabirds and more than 100,000 marine mammals every year.
Practice packing a waste free lunch during our time at home so when we return to school you will have it nailed! Ask your kids if they want to make a video about it. Send it to Kathy@bckprograms.com
Sadly face masks will be around for a while. OceanAsia estimated that 1.56 million face masks ended up as ocean pollution in 2020.
If you choose a disposable mask to stay safe, make a point to throw it in the trash when you are done with it. Also, consider a double-layered reusable mask for those trips out.
EUSD students study stormwater pollution every year. They learn everything on the streets washes into the storm drain when it rains and reaches the ocean unfiltered. Pet waste, trash and motor oil all create problems in our waterways.
You can help out by keeping your car maintained, cleaning up after your pet and by picking up litter whenever you see it.
Globally, 40% of food produced is thrown away and sent to the landfill. There it decomposes without oxygen (anaerobically) and creates methane gas which ends up in our atmosphere.
Try your hand at placing at least your fruit and veggies in the compost bin.
April 12: Plant Natives
Landscaping your yard with native plants mean using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. This will improve water quality and decrease the need for gas-powered lawn mowers.
Try to plant a few water-saving succulents in your yard.
Pouring hot cooking grease down the drain can cause great harm to the city's sewer pipes. When hot grease hits the drain, it cools and becomes a solid, sticking to the sides of the sewer pipes. The build-up catches other items that end up in the sewer system (like wipes) and can create large clogs and damage the pipes. Do not pour cooking grease down the drain.
Keep an empty tin can in the refrigerator to store hot cooking grease. When it is full, throw it out in the trash. How can you share this information?
Water is the most important resource in the world. 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water but less than 1% of it can be used in our homes for drinking, bathing, cooking, flushing toilets and watering our lawns.
A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day. Conduct a leaky toilet audit in your house.
According to the Ocean Futures Society, more than 100 million trees are destroyed and 28 billion gallons of water are used every year to put junk mail in your mailbox. You can recycle some of it or compost it but did you know you can also stop it from coming all together. You can start by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT to stop receiving prescreened credit card invitations.
Sometimes explaining to little ones why we should change our behavior to protect the planet is difficult. SInce we are stuck inside for a bit longer, it's the perfect time to read a book or watch a family movie that helps illustrate the need to be better stewards of the environment.
Small particle waste is harmful to birds and marine wildlife. If left on the street, a rainstorm or even overspray from sprinklers in the neighborhood can wash it down to the ocean.
Be careful not to overlook small bits of trash like bottle caps and the corners of chip bags or wrappers.
Composting reduces landfill waste by recycling food scraps into enriched nutrients for soil. When applied to the garden or landscape, it not only helps plants grow organically with high nutritional value and retains soil moisture, but it also sequesters excess carbon from the atmosphere!
If you don't have space in your yard to start a compost pile, try making your own worm bin at home.
2020 is the year we switch up the way we do EVERYTHING! Why not look into making some sustainable product switches while we are already adjusting to a "new normal".
Maybe one of the easiest things you can do to help the planet is to shave 3 minutes off your shower time. The average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute and lasts at least 10 minutes. By shortening your shower by three minutes, you can save 15 gallons of water every day, even more if everyone in your family does it too.
Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. To celebrate, see if your family can go through the day leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible. Keep the lights off, try to conserve water, and see if you can keep your waste to an all-time low.
As many as 24 trees are required to make one ton of paper. U.S. businesses now use about 21 million tons of paper every year. That’s about 175 pounds of paper for each person in the U.S.
Set your printer to default to printing two sided and use recycled printer paper.
If you haven't seen them yet, dryer balls are the natural way to soften clothes and reduce static cling. Rather than using chemical laden in-wash liquid softeners or heat-activated dryer sheets, wool dryer balls do the same job and can be reused over and over again.
Every year on the last Saturday of March, there is a global effort to reduce energy by asking everyone to turn off their lights at the same time for one hour. It's called Earth Hour. The goal is to bring attention to energy conservation. Let's continue this good work by making sure we keep lights off when not in use.
Keep lights out during the daytime when not needed.
Even though we don't get as much rain as other states, California does get some precipitation. And, our coastal location allows for a thick marine layer during May and June. The bottom line is that we can harvest rain and morning moisture. Installing a cistern and using it to water an otherwise dry garden bed makes perfect sense.
A depressing statistic circulating today is that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. So much of that plastic comes from food packaging. After a relatively easy switch to reusable grocery bags, the next frontier in sustainable shopping is to buy in bulk using your own containers.
Bring glass jars, cloth produce bags and recycled containers with you to stores like Jimbo's, Lazy Acres and Sprouts to minimize the plastic you bring home.
With schools back in session, make a plan to walk to school at least one day a week. Starting the day with a brisk walk leads to better focus in the classroom.
Plan a trial run on a weekend or after school. Write down how long it takes you to walk or bike to school. Let your neighbors know you will be walking to school and invite them to join.
Worm castings are a wonderful natural fertilizer. They retain moisture in the soil, add key nutrients to keep plants healthy and help balance pH. In addition, worm castings will reduce the need for harmful pesticides.
Buy worm castings instead of synthetic fertilizers or learn how to make your own.
When you recycle, you help save energy and resources and reduce pollution. Recycling 1 ton of paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,000 kilowatts of electricity. The energy that you save can power 1 home for 5 months. The average family uses 6 trees worth of paper each year.
Conduct an at home audit to see how you can better recycle.
