5 Ways to Help the Earth in 5-Minutes or Less

With the world’s population growing, resources dwindling, and ecosystems facing threat, the earth is in desperate need of a superhero. Lucky for us, we can all play part without  devoting much time away from our ever demanding lives filled with family, work, and school. Here are 5 simple ways to help the earth! The best part? You can get them all done in under 30 minutes! Wow!

Number 1. Donate to a Charity

If you’re looking for a quick way to make a difference, donate. Although this is a largely detached way to get involved, it nevertheless can lead to world-changing results. Find a charity that speaks to you  – one of our favorites is Trees for the Future – and donate a nice sum. It could mean making the difference for animals, ecosystems, and our fellow men and women.

Number 2. Opt out of Snail Mail

Paper mail is so last century anyways. For all your bills, bank statements, and information you get from those organizations or markets you’re involved with, opt into electronic mail. This will literally saves tons of paper over time. This goes for those coupons too – if you don’t use them, contact the sender and get them to take you off the mailing list. With less paper used, more tress will stand strong!

Number 3. Reuse that Bag

Plastic or paper? Neither, please. It takes all of 30 seconds to buy a reusable bag while you’re the grocery store and after you do, you’ll be on your way to reducing your ‘bag print’ – something many people fail to consider. Better yet, if you want to devote about 10 minutes to this, make your own bag out of an old t-shirt. It’s simple, quick, and saves tons of resources (plus, you get to keep that favorite shirt of yours!). Here’s how!

Number 4. Don’t Eat that Meat

This is really more of a conscious decision, making it take all of 5 seconds to do. Livestock requires huge, intensive sources of energy and large scores of land. The industry is vastly overworked and the negative aspects that come along with this industry are too large to ignore – runoff and waste are literally choking the Gulf of Mexico. By switching to more vegetables and replacing a few meat meals a week – at least 2-3 days out of the week – you’ll be curbing your use by a huge proportion. If everyone did this, it could literally save the world – there would be less methane gas, we could create forests where farms are now, and the ocean would get some much needed relief. Just be sure to get the nutrients you might otherwise miss out on! I suggest switching to grass-fed, free range beef to help transition.

Number 5.  Buy Organic

Like the last one, this is a value choice that takes far under 5 minutes. Despite the simplicity of making the choice to buy organic, the positive results are too large to pass up. Organic farming supports cleaner air, water, and earth. It promotes the sustainable use of our world. It creates jobs in a industry ruled by industrial machinery. It promotes better health for you, your friends, and your family. Switch to organic! It really doesn’t cost much more (besides, you’ll save money by not purchasing as much meat) and it you can take pride in the fact that you’re voting with your dollars.