Hi! My name is Freda and I have been a biologist/ecologist for the past 30 years. I started this blog, The Peaceful Pathway, because I feel very strongly about the environment and am deeply concerned about the state of our beautiful planet. Because I have done lots of restoration biology and know firsthand that it is possible to restore habitat that has been destroyed by our carelessness, and because we are teetering on a precipice on which we have never been before, I decided I needed to do my part to educate people about what I know best, and it is not good news. This beautiful planet which we all share is in bad shape and we are responsible. Before it is too late, which time is quickly approaching, we must all do our part in helping to bring this planet back into balance. Before you say “What can I do, I’m only one person”, let me assure you there is plenty you can do! Some is basic and you have heard it before, but I will cover it anyway. After all, we all live on the same planet so we are all in this together.
Let’s all join hands and begin to focus our energy on this incredible Earth Mother on which we live. Just for a moment, close your eyes and picture her waters clear, clean and incredibly blue; her mountains sturdy, strong and peaceful; her forests green, lush and filled with the sounds of all that is wild. Picture her wildlife healthy and thriving- whales, dolphins and fishes filling her seas; elephants, bears, wolves and all the wild cats filling her forests, mountains and valleys; with birds of all kinds filling her skies. With this picture in mind, let’s begin our discussion about what each of us can do, on a daily basis, to help nurse our planet back to health.
Do you recycle? If you don’t why don’t you give it a try? And if you already do, try thinking of additional things that you do not now recycle that you could. I used to recycle only the basics, but as I began thinking about it, I started to recycle so much that I produce very little ‘garbage’. My cereal boxes and the paper that held the cereal, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, aluminum cans (not just soda cans, but canned vegetables – check the label!). Did you know that the energy saved by recycling ONE aluminum can is enough to run a television for 3-4 hours? And there is no limit on the number of times an aluminum can can be recycled! Now that’s efficiency, if only we would take advantage of it. In one year in the United States, the recycling of steel saves enough energy to heat and light 18,000,000 homes! Not that we do that, but that’s a subject for another day.
Do you let the water run while you are brushing your teeth? Do you know that you waste approximately 5 gallons of water when you brush your teeth? If you brush twice a day, you are wasting 10 gallons of drinking water in one day; 280 gallons over the course of one month; 3360 gallons over one year! A family of four would use the equivalent of a 24′ round above ground swimming pool: 13,440 gallons of water just to brush their teeth! Get the picture? Please turn the water off. And remember, from an economic standpoint, you’re paying for that water you’re wasting!!
How about that shower vs bath debate? With a newer shower head (which puts out a federally mandated 2.5 gallons per minute), and a reasonable shower time (ten minutes or under), the shower wins hands down. Even a ten minute shower would use about 25 gallons of water, whereas most tubs take 30-50 gallons of water to fill. If you throw in an eco-friendly shower head, which puts out less than 2 gallons per minute, the shower is wayahead. But don’t despair bath lovers- you can still take baths, but try and keep them to a minimum- maybe once a week for a special treat. And when you fill the tub, do that consciously as well. Put the plug in when you fist begin the fill the tub- the cold water will get hot as the water heats up and you can adjust the temperature later.
And so the journey begins. If we all take little steps, they will translate into big changes. Check back often for more tips on how to step more lightly on Mother Earth while still living comfortably. Namaste.
Sending Love and Light,
Freda ♥