This week we celebrated Earth Day, the world’s largest environmental movement. Our impact on the environment is complex and often interrelated.  For example, bees are dying from a variety of factors—pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming and more. Ninety percent of the world’s food crops are pollinated by bees, and humans are responsible for two major reasons that bees are dying: pesticides and habitat destruction. If bees die out, the world will face a serious food crisis.

Our oceans are clogged with plastic, which is harmful to marine life. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year, according to figures published in the journal Science.  It takes about 200 years for a plastic straw to decompose, and most straws are not recyclable.  That means our landfills are filling up with the straws that don’t end up in the ocean.

These are just two examples of the negative impact of humans living on Earth. There are however some very easy ways to do your part for the health of our environment that require hardly any effort.

Stop using plastic straws. Five hundred million straws are used once and discarded in the U.S.  alone. That is enough plastic to circle the Earth 2.5 times every day! If you must have a straw, buy bamboo or stainless steel straws that are reusable.  

Compost! Twenty to 30 percent of what we throw away in terms of food scraps and yard waste should be composted instead, according to the EPA. Some municipalities offer composting services in the community. Click here to find out if your city offers composting services.

If you have a backyard, start your own compost pile. You can compost fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, and tea bags, as well as anything yard related from grass clippings, to leaves, wood chips, hair, and fur.

Use a reusable water bottle. Americans buy enough plastic water bottles to circle the earth five times each week, according to the EPA. Any water bottle you can reuse is better than using a plastic one once and then throwing it away.
