A Green Pledge for Earth Day

If there's anything else that matters to me besides my family, finances and life itself, it is the kind of future my daughter will have. April 22 is Earth day and it makes me think about what I've done so far to help preserve our dying planet for her. It brings shivers to my entire body just thinking what with all the trash and toxic we throw at Mother Earth that there may not be enough left for her to enjoy or see when she's older. Doesn't it just scare you? Horror movies don't scare me, this does.

What have we been doing as a family to help this cause?

• Reusing Plastic To-Go Cups - Whenever we eat out, we save our to-go cups and reuse them as regular cups at home or travel cups when we're on the road. We use them until they're too worn out. Only then will they get recycled. Americans toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times. - Don't want to be one of them blasted americans!

•  Bring own Water Tin Can and water reserve - Anywhere we go, we always bring our own water tin can and a big jug filled with water to refill our tin cans. This eliminates the need to buy bottled water. Easy on the budget too! Americans throw away 2.5 Million plastic bottles per hour!

•  Join a Recycling Program -Last year, I've joined a recycling program that upcycles recyclable materials while earning some bucks for your chosen school or organization (but quit due to personal reasons). It's a great way though to recycle all your trash into reusable accessories and school supplies and a lot more. Get involved with Recycling programs and make a difference.

• Get Kids involved - We've taught our daughter the art of recycling early on and make her sort stuffs or put them in the proper recycling bins and educated her the importance of why we need to recycle them. This teaches her how to love her environment and the world she lives in. Too bad we can't recycle their diapers!

• Recycle All that is recyclable - Only one-tenth of all solid garbage in the United States gets recycled. We try to make it a habit to recycle anywhere we are. Each day the United States throws away enough trash to fill 63,000 garbage trucks. Let's recycle what is recyclable!

I commend all the establishments that takes all effort to recycle. Just last week, we were at Target and saw that they have huge recycling bins inside their store. 

Caution: Not all recyclable plastic are reusable. Avoid 3,6 and 7. These are the types that can release nasty hormone disruptors and carcinogens into your food and drink.

What are your Green initiative not only in honor of Mother Earth on Earth day but for the future generation of our kids? Every little thing counts.
 
Happy Earth day to all! May your side of the world is as green as your green initiatives!

Recycling Programs you can get involved with:

• Preserve - recycles Stoneyfield cups and all #5 plastics
• Earth 911 
• Terracycle
• Clean Air Council