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Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife.Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter.
- Take action to reduce global warming.
- There are many, many things you can do to minimize the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
- Basically, the less we depend on fossil fuels, the better!
- Grow your own food
- If you have access to some land, maybe you can Practice Sustainable Agriculture.
- If all you have is a window, become a guerilla gardener: find a patch of dirt anywhere in your neighborhood and plant stuff there.
- Whatever you can't grow, support your local farmers and buy it at a farmers' market.
- Trees conserve energy.
- Three trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent.
- By reducing the energy demand for cooling our houses, we reduce carbon dioxide and other pollution emissions from power plants.
- Trees save water.
- Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns.
- Most newly planted trees need only fifteen gallons of water a week. As trees transpire, they increase atmospheric moisture.
- Trees help prevent water pollution.
- Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree.
- This prevents stormwater from carrying pollutants to the ocean.
- When mulched, trees act like a sponge that filters this water naturally and uses it to recharge groundwater supplies.
- Trees help prevent soil erosion
- On hillsides or stream slopes, trees slow runoff and hold soil in place.
- Trees provide food
- An apple tree can yield up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year and can be planted on the tiniest urban lot.
- Aside from fruit for humans, trees provide food for birds and wildlife.
- Going paperless isn't right for every business. That being said, it is possible for every business to go paperless. In order to determine whether this strategy is a good fit, weigh the following advantages of transitioning to a paperless office.
- Time Saved.
- When files are digitally stored in the cloud, your organization instantly becomes more flexible. How flexible? Consider the following example:
- Let's say your business is located in New York City and you're meeting with a top client in Los Angeles.
- On Friday afternoon, you're discussing a project with the client and need to refer to a specific file that's back at the office.
- Saved Space.
- One sheet of paper may not take up a ton of space, but tens of thousands of pages certainly do.
- Over the years, businesses can accrue boxes and boxes of files.
- These files have to go somewhere; they ultimately end up overcrowding office space (which isn't cheap). By going paperless, a firm can free up closets, boardrooms, and even entire offices.
- Stronger Security.
- Storing documents in the cloud is safer than keeping sensitive files in an office.
- Digital documents are encrypted and protected by numerous layers of security, and access can be restricted to only a few individuals.
- Less Money.
- Did you know that the average firm processes more than 10,000 pieces of paper each year? That's roughly 20 reams, or the equivalent of a small tree.
- Now imagine if every business went paperless.
- We could save entire forests! The eco-friendly benefits of going paperless may not be as apparent as the savings related to cost and space, but they are definitely worthwhile.
- Remember the 4 R's- Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
- Refuse.
- Refuse to get used of products made by wood.
- Reduce.
- Reduce the amount of waste you use! Bring your own shopping bag, use a reusable water bottle, and invest in a good mechanical pencil.
- Reuse.
- Reuse waste! Could that can make a good pencil holder? Or maybe that bag could be used for Bowser's "presents"?
- Recycle.
- Recycle! If you are fortunate enough to have a recycling program in your area, recycle! It will get used again!
