Ecological balance is something that at times can be hard to achieve. With all of the deforestation, pollution and depletion of our world’s naturally occurring resources, finding ways to reduce our ecological footprint can be a difficult and overwhelming task; however, all it takes is a few simple steps for each of us to make a little impact. Pretty soon the little impact will turn into a big one.
Here are ten easy ways to help maintain our planet’s ecological balance.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
We have definitely been hearing this one for a while, but it can be the most effective method of lowering our carbon footprints and maintaining an ecological balance. By 1) reducing the amount we consume, (water or hydro, for example) we put less strain on the processes that are used to provide the service to us; therefore putting less strain on the environment. By 2) reusing things, we eliminate the need to consume more, and we save ourselves money along the way. Finally, by 3) recycling, we prevent the need to consume more raw goods.
Going green
4) Taking transit to and from your place of employment can really lower your carbon footprint. A lot of transit systems are switching their services to green or hybrid buses, and if there is a train system in your city it’s most likely powered by electricity. In the cases where it just is not possible for you to take the bus to your place of employment, consider 5) investing in a hybrid car or 6) looking at car pooling options instead; both present economical ways to help the environment. And better yet, 7) walking or biking can provide you with a good workout as well as a little atmospheric relief.
Eating organic
A lot of times we do not realize what we are putting into our bodies and the effects it. Many of the fruits and vegetables we consume are grown with harmful pesticides and herbicides, which can be extremely harmful to our eco system. By 8) consuming more and more organic products we encourage more farmers and producers to use responsibly-grown product, which will in turn encourage more people to buy what they are producing.
Besides eating organic, 9) buying responsibly farmed fish like salmon is a good way to help encourage an ecological balance. Plus, farmed salmon is just plain unhealthy for consumption, so you’re also doing yourself a favour by choosing wild salmon and seafood.
Fashionably conscious
Sometimes we think that the choices we make regarding the fashion industry don’t affect the environment. But in reality, supporting a brand who produces their product environmentally irresponsibly is pretty much the same as running your car all night for no reason. It’s important to 10) support companies whose concern is not with profits or notoriety but with producing their product as responsibly as possible with the smallest impact on our ecosystems as possible.
The bottom line
There is not one thing that is better than any other in the fight to maintain an ecological balance. For some people out there it can be as simple as watching how much they drive their cars, and for others it may be buying a hybrid one. The point is that little actions turn into large changes, and if we all make an effort to maintain an ecological balance we will have a much happier eco system.