Recent weather events and the frightening pace of climate change are making one thing very clear: we all need to do our part to help preserve the environment.
Here are some useful, inexpensive actions we can all take to directly help our planet. These are not inconvenient or life-changing changes, yet they can still make a large impact.
Volunteer Your Time
Taking action by donating money or buying products from eco-friendly brands are great steps that anyone can take to support global sustainability and the environment.
However, there's no better way to make an impact than starting where you live, at the local level. One great way to get involved is to look into local environmental organizations in your community and volunteer your time.
This will look different depending on where you live. It could mean participating in a shoreline cleanup or volunteering for trail maintenance on a popular hiking spot to give you a better understanding of the environmental challenges your community faces.
Volunteering is a great experience because it provides hands-on insight on different ways to help the environment. It also helps develop our awareness of the impact our day to day lives have on our own communities. Lastly, it tangibly shows the impact a single person can have when they roll up their sleeves.
A great example of an organization that helps individuals looking to volunteer in their community comes from our partner organization Natural Restorations. Their team is focused on revitalizing natural areas and supporting military veterans in Arizona.
Clean Up While You Spend Time Outdoors
If you spend time outdoors hiking, paddling, camping, or anything else, you can contribute to environmental efforts by simply cleaning up while you are outside.
If you are hiking, bring a garbage bag along and some protective gloves with you next time. This isn’t something you can only do in far-off natural areas. Urban parks and natural preserves often suffer from high levels of waste, and cleaning up a little can go a long way..
If you are cleaning up on your own, make sure to follow safe practices and use precaution if you notice hazardous materials or anything that could hurt you or someone else.
Cut Down Your Plastic Consumption
High plastic consumption has an extremely serious impact on the environment. It is also a habit that many of us fall into without realizing it.
At this point, most of us are familiar with the environmental dangers of plastic water bottles, but did you know that a million plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute? Ya no kidding. That means, there is still a lot of work to do when it comes to changing buyer habits, even in developed nations like the United States.
Taking Action In Your Community
Still wondering how to help the environment in your community?
Explore national and international environmental organizations that have chapters near you, or check message boards at your local parks and natural areas.
Use your purchasing power to support local businesses with strong social and environmental records, and encourage your friends and family to use reusable instead of single-use.
And don’t forget to check out the rest of the #STAYTRUFLASK blog where we showcase people making a difference around the world.
#outsideforall