Porta's Look!...Happy Earth Day!

PERSONAL EFFECTS
-Vol 22
-Earth Day Giveaway!-

" We have to stop making the me decision.
We have to make the we and us decision "


- Michelle Obama

I love this quote from Michelle Obama for earth day last year and I think about it still each time I have to make a decision that might impact our earth. I have lots of improvement to make but today is a good reminder to keep up the good habits and break the bad ones.

Thanks for Words by Chelsea

We Can Make It!

Happy Earth Day!

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Simply Living
Can Be Good for The Planet!

Today is the 41th anniversary of Earth Day. Ten years ago today, I remember spending my Saturday standing near the Washington Monument and listening to James Taylor and Carole King play live at the Earth Fair. It was hot outside, we were guzzling down bottled water, and my friend Rebecca and I had driven my ancient Volvo 30 miles roundtrip to the National Mall for the event.

The electricity necessary to power the music acts on stage, the gasoline my car chugged to drive us there, and the plastic contained in our six or seven bottles of water was certainly an odd way to use resources to celebrate the day.

This year, I'm working from home, drinking water from my tap, and listening to a James Taylor digital recording. It's not nearly as spectacular, but certainly better for the Earth.

As a fan of simplicity, minor efforts you make on a regular basis have the ability to lessen your impact on the planet. Living simply -- a decision that may not be based on an environmentally-friendly agenda at all -- means you probably already have a smaller footprint than most people.

You don't need to go to the extremes Colin Beavan does in the documentary No Impact Man (or his book) to make a difference. Choosing to live without clutter means that you're already making thoughtful decisions about what you buy and bring into your home, which is good for the Earth.

Here are more easy-to-implement planet-friendly ideas for people interested in simple living:

1. Donate unused items that are in good condition to charity instead of throwing them into the trash. Recycle the rest.
2. When taking on home improvements, look for "green," renewable, and/or earth-friendly resources.
3. Have your car regularly serviced to make sure that it's getting the best gas mileage possible.
4. When looking for a new home, check out WalkScore to find neighborhoods that don't constantly require the use of a car.

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PORTA'S LOOK
PERSONAL EFFECTS
BY
The PORTASTYLISTIC