A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
Clutter. Most of us have clutter around the house. It’s not green and ecofriendly. I know people who have bought a larger house just so they can keep all their “stuff”.
But some things are really difficult to get rid of – especially items that have fond memories. So, how can you have a good clear out – and not regret it?
The answer might be surprisingly easy.
Take a photograph (or two) of the items you need to release. And then get rid of the original.
You can look at the photo any time you want. You don’t have to sort through a whole pile of junk and/or boxes just to find a memory. And you can make more space in your home.
On average, Americans have about 50 items in their homes that are unused (clothing, accessories, electronics or other things). It can be hard to give them up, even if you know that they could be going to someone who would make use of them. Next time you feel that way, figure out what it is you want to remember, take a picture, and let it go.
Could this surprisingly simple option bring us closer to minimalist living? I hope so!
Are you (or someone you know) thinking about getting a new educational qualification (e.g. a degree)?
The advantages of studying online are outlined in this delightfully personal guest post on online learning from C. N. Moore.
There are some surprising environmental benefits that you may not have thought about.
“Ghost nets” are fishing nets abandoned or lost by fishermen. They are a huge threat to marine life, killing sea turtles, fish, crustaceans, and more. Once a few fish are caught in the nets and die, the nets attract more fish looking for a meal, creating a horrible cycle of destruction. They also destroy corals.
Now an ocean conservationist is trying to draw attention to projects which pay fishermen to retrieve the nets which are then made into sustainable products. Christine Ren has created a gorgeous awareness campaign which uses the hashtag #SilentKillers. You can watch the “how we made it” video here and there are details and links underneath the video.
We all know that fossil fuel companies – Big Oil, Big Gas and others – get massive subsidies from governments all over the world. (Even though these huge companies make huge profits).
But did you know that YOU are also subsidizing fossil fuels?
And do you know how much it’s costing you?
Be prepared to be horrified when you read this.
Global Green News:
You remember the outcry when Cecil the Lion was killed by a hunter? Well, now Cecil’s son, Xanda, has also been killed by a trophy hunter. Zimbabwean authorities say the hunt was “legal” and have not released the hunter’s name – presumably to protect him or her from the bad publicity received by the US dentist who killed Cecil. Like Cecil, Xanda was a magnificent male lion – he was very large, with a huge mane and in beautiful condition. I simply cannot understand why people enjoy killing living beings.
The beaches of northern France are in the news right now due to the new film Dunkirk which remembers the World War II battles there. But these northern beaches are also in the news for being “invaded” by strange yellow blobs (you can see them in the photo).
They seem to show that our seas really are totally full of rubbish. The blobs are thought to be wax (from petroleum) which is used in cosmetics, crayons and even food. Ships that transport the wax are allowed to wash their tanks after they have discharged their cargo in port. They basically throw their residue overboard into the sea. (This is quite common amongst cargo ships). They are supposed to do it far out to sea, but some don’t wait. Of course, the stuff is toxic to marine life. And we don’t really know just how much residue (of many different cargoes) is washed overboard each day. Even if it is “far out to sea”, we’re on a circular planet.
US Green News:
If you want to change the world, and/or give back to your community, but aren’t sure where to begin, the “Do Good Bus” might be perfect for you. You board the bus and ride to a mystery community service project – you could be working in homeless shelters or beach cleanups or planting community gardens or, well, anything!
“We’re trying to make it an easy way to give back in addition to being a really fun experience,” says the founder. It started in LA but is now spreading across the US. You can get more details here.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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