action!

Declaration of Environmental Commitment

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the crushing weight of climate change and environmental crises? Have you had enough of feeling helpless about the state of our planet? Are you still finding it hard to believe that you, one solitary individual can do something, anything, to make a dent in a problem that is much closer to a mountain than a molehill?

We were there once. Declare your commitment to environmental thought and action. You can do it any way you please, but we’ve included our pledge here - we hope you find it helpful:

“We commit to:

• Learning as much as possible about environmental issues in order to make informed decisions
• Consuming less – creating less waste and using our buying power to influence business
• Initiating change – both on a personal level through individual actions, and on a larger level by participating, encouraging, and supporting others to do the same
• Advocating sustainable development and practices in our communities, workplaces, and businesses.”

It’s really that simple. It’s as easy as asking yourself a tiny little question, such as “How will this affect the environment?”; or, “Do I really need to drive there?”; “Is these a more environmentally-friendly way?”

If you can affect the environment in a negative way, it shouldn’t be more than a hop, skip and a jump to affect it in a positive way. Here are some suggestions to help you put the above pledge into action:

• Cut Back On Your Carbon Emissions
  Reduce your power usage. Turn off everything you’re not using, and unplug your cell phone charger when it’s not charging your cell phone! Use your car less, and public transit more. Or your bike. Or your skateboard. Or simply use your feet and walk. Buy a whole whack of those spiral light bulbs (also known as energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs) and use them! Buy local. Buy stuff that didn’t travel great distances to get to where you are.  The farther away something is made or grown, the longer its journey to your local store, and the more carbon emissions it has caused along the way.
• Use Less Water
  Water’s our most precious resource. By conserving it now (and we are in danger of running low), we’re helping to protect our (and the planet’s) future. Eat a little less meat, because raising cattle and processing beef requires a lot of water. Turn off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth. Cut your shower short. Water your plants in the evening.
• Create Less Waste
  Be an environmentally considerate trend-setter – it’s fun and good for the ego! Say no to plastic – carry your own reusable shopping bag. Try to consume less, it’s really not that hard. Think about the environmental implications before you buy anything. Be mindful when you buy.  Consider a product’s packaging, lifespan and necessity.