Take Action!
Don't Just Toss It: Recycle everything you can (paper, plastic, glass, batteries)
If there's something unusual you need to get rid of, be creative - you can donate your old business suits to organizations like Dress for Success that give them to people in need, or donate your old eyeglass frames to a charity like Unite for Sight. To find a recycling center near you, check out your local government website (ex. www.arkansas.gov).
Greenest Pastures: Make your landscaping more climate friendly
You can help keep your house cool in the summer by shading it with deciduous trees planted along its southern and western sides. In the winter, these trees will drop their leaves, giving you more sun for heating. To help block winter winds, plant evergreens or tall shrubs upwind (usually north and west). These trees should be about 3 times as far from the house as their height.
Homeowners Sweet Homeowners: Join an earth-friendly homeowners association
If you live in a community with a homeowners association, attend the meetings and make suggestions when appropriate for more environmentally friendly policies. You might also consider writing an environmental column in your association newsletter. Also, consider speaking as one unified voice at City Hall or in other settings to support environmentally sound policies. This will benefit both ecological and property values.
Eat Your Yard: Grow your own herbs or veggies
If you don't have room for a large garden, don't despair. A few simple containers or a grow-bag on a balcony are enough to grow tomatoes and fresh herbs. Find out more about gardening through local community courses, books, gardening clubs, and online forums.
Take a Byte out of Pollution: Recycle your electronic waste
Ever wonder where your old boombox ended up? If you haven't recycled it, it's probably sitting among the many other electronic gadgets in our nation that are now out of date. Items like old computer monitors, TVs, cameras, and cell phones (among many other items), are actually recyclable. So if you've been hanging on to that old VCR, here's one environmentally-friendly option: check out the Environmental Protection Agency's recycling page www.epa.gov.
