Doing a Little for Our Part

 Hello all.  I didn't do a special post on Earth Day this year, as I always do.  I actually consider everyday earth day.  We should do our part each and every day to make this world a little better.  Our environment is so affected by us in so many ways.  We over use, over populate, over trash, and sometimes, we under care!

We can all do a lot of little things that will add up and help.  No - it may do a lot for you - BUT if we all do things - it will do a LOT for the globe.

Being mindful is so very important.

• Do more recycling - try to recycle or reuse all that you can
• Use more reusables - cloth grocery bags.  Your own drink bottles or cups.  Water jugs for frig.  Filter and use your own water.  Grow whatever you can grow.  Rework things into new things  Just reuse whatever you possibly can
• Pick up trash where eve you are.  If taking a walk - pick-up any trash you see.  If hiking pick up trash you see.  Go to the park - pick up trash.  Walking through a parking lot - pick up trash.  So many people are so inconsiderate by just dropping things or throwing things out a window - DON'T be that person.  HELP instead.
• Second hand shopping on all things that you can.  It keeps items out of landfills, it recycles, and you save money
• In your yard - plant food if at all possible.  Any small things helps.  You can plants root crops and lettuce in flowers beds and no one would know (some places frown on food growing! - Grrrr).  Plant flowers that bring in bees - they are so beneficial to all growing things.  Flowers also attract butterflies!  Never use chemical weed killers.  Chemicals get into our ground and it poisons more that just weeds - beneficial insects, pets, food, etc.
• Collect rain water if you are allowed or if at all possible.  It is far better for your plants than tap water.  No rain barrel?  Place a bucket or a tote at the bottom of a rain spout.  It all adds up.
• Think of starting a community garden.  Find an empty lot and plant with the community or neighbors and tend it and all use it. (with landowner permission).
• Start an area clean-up crew for a weekend or a day.  It is great to get out at least once a month and do a good clean-up - plus it is good exercise
• Use less paper, plastic, tin, etc.  Take your own container if possible when buying bulk or fruits and veggies.  You can make produce bags out of net or lace - keep those mesh bags you get at the store and reuse.  Use cloth grocery bags.  Visit farm markets and take your own bags.  Buy items in glass if at all possible and then reuse those containers for your storage.
• Be outside more - fresh air and sunshine are your friends.
• Talk to others and help them to love the environment.  You can have a simple conversation that is informative - sometimes people overlook simple things they can do.
• Learn to barter, forage and glean if at all possible.  Helping each other and trading or gleaning from the land - saves additional items from being made into trash or maybe from being wasted.
• Compost what you can.  Even if you can't have a compost pile - you can use egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peels, etc. in your garden or flower beds - natural fertilizer!!!!!!  Any peels or scraps can be blended and added to water to use around plants.  Keep your scraps in an old ice cream bucket or any closed container until using.
• Look into using more natural herbs and tinctures for medicinal purposes.  Homeopathic medicine can be very beneficial - all I use.  God has put all things on this earth to benefit us.  Do your research. (Not professing stopping meds you need and are currently using without medical advice).  Just do your own research.  
• Look at nature for food and ingredients.  Dandelions, wild violets, lavender, redbuds, peonies, roses, honeysuckle, clover, edible 'weeds', wild onions or garlic, seeds, nuts, wild grapes, mushrooms, crab apples, young Hosta shoots.................  the list goes on and on.  I will do a post of edible/useful weeds soon.

Gosh, there is just so much we can all do.  Every little thing you  do helps in some way.  Individually we may not make a huge difference - but collectively we can.  We have one earth - that is it.  We need to take care of the resources we have and use what nature provides.  We need to quit polluting and trashing this beautiful planet.

God has provided us with this earth - we owe Him the respect of taking care of it.