Harsh Facts of the Week
USA: 22.27%; China: 17.34%; EU: 15.43%; Russia: 6.1%; Japan: 4.8%; India: 4.4%; Australia: 1.3%
Approximately 27,000 species disappear each year. We lose 40 million acres of our forest through logging and land clearing annually. 70% of once forested tracts of the Amazon are now used as pasture. Only 12% of the planet’s forests are still in their natural state.
The Styrofoam cups used every year could circle the planet at least five times; they are not biodegradable and are rarely recycled. Recycling an aluminum can uses only 5% of the energy required to make a new one. Recycling glass uses 26% of the energy.
Do these Harsh Facts seem out of your control? How can one person possibly make a dent in the environmental catastrophe?
They’re not out of your control, and you can make a dent. Take Tristram Stuart, for example. He’s one man, and not only did he investigate the food waste scandal practically all on his own, but he sounded the alarm, and people all across the world have heard him. He began Feeding the 5000, an event that feeds 5000 people with food that would have otherwise been wasted. Learn more about Stuart in last week’s “Suggested Reading” section.
You don’t have to start a major event or organization to make a difference. Start recycling at your home. Reject Styrofoam cups and other plastic and paper ware and use your good China. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Drive less: carpool, ride your bike, plan ahead and combine your errands, use more public transportation. Join protests against cutting down forests, sign online petitions, and donate the money that you would have spent on Oreos, nail polish, and squeeze cheese to an organization that preserves nature. Oh, yeah, and you can use the tips I provide in Ecofriendly Economics! If you’re feeling especially motivated, take a crack at Viridorari’s Green Challenges, which come out every Saturday.
