Happy Earth Day! Get Your Sustainability On With These Easy Tips
In most underrepresented or marginalized communities, Earth Day is not one of those holidays we take a lot of pride in. In a lot of ways, minorities have been excluded or undermined in environmental research and conversations. It wasn’t until 1989 when Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights activist and scholar, introduced the term intersectionality to the world that environmental advocates begin to dive deeper. When intersectional environmentalism was developed, it created space for advocates to justify that both the people and the planet needed protection. 55 years later after the original Earth Day, leaders from all across the globe are still fighting to raise awareness about threats our Planet Earth faces.
No matter how big the world is, your impact matters! According to Perch energy , the average CO2 per person in the U.S. is about 16 tons compared to the rest of the world that averages about 4 tons of CO2. The United Nations confirms that your home, use of power, how you move around, what you eat, and how much you throw away all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Below are just a few simple steps to help you reduce your carbon footprint and resources to help you on your sustainable journey.
Keep the Air Clean – Provided by the World Health Organization
- Cycle, walk and use public transport rather than drive a car or a motorbike
- Use cook-stoves that vent outside and that do not burn wood or coal
- Build homes with insulation so they do not get too hot or too cold
- Build homes with ventilation so that the air gets changed
- Ensure waste is safely disposed, such as trash from the household or from agriculture
- Avoid burning waste
Conserve Water – Provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather.
- One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day! Check your faucets and showerheads for
leaks. - While you wait for hot water, collect the running water and use it to water plants.
- If you accidently drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant
instead. - When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save up to 4 gallons a minute. That’s up to
200 gallons a week for a family of four
DALLAS- FIND YOUR ENVIROMENTAL COMMISIONER
Behind the scenes of Dallas’s political stars are hardworking citizens who fight daily for the right to clean air, water, industrialization, and more. Most residents are unaware of their elected officials that speak on their behalf, and some of your neighbors might not have realized that zoning plays a big part in environmental legislation. By visiting the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability website, locals can find the representative of their district, read the Comprehensive Environmental Climate Action Plan, and sign up to attend monthly meetings held the second Wednesday of the month, 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. in City Hall room 6ES and virtually via Webex.
TARRANT COUNTY – LEARN MORE ABOUT ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH
According to the Tarrant County Environmental Health website, this division promotes safety while providing health-related services involving inspections of commercial food establishments, public pool and storm water quality, septic system standards, vector control and other quality of life issues in Tarrant County. The county is also seeking ways to educate residents and businesses on solar energy development in the community through their Energy & Sustainability initiatives, and encourage them to take responsibility for improving their community environment through Keep Fort Worth Beautiful.
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