Science & Outdoors
The Green Beat: Don’t get caught up in consumption
Science & Outdoors Reporter
“Consumption”, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a progressive wasting away of the body.” Not something that is particularly pleasant to think about; however, the planet Earth is progressively wasting away because of the never-ending increase in human consumption.
All humans need food, water and shelter to survive. The problem is too many humans are consuming more than they need. According to the Web site Footprints of Nations, the average American needs about 20 to 30 acres of land to help sustain their current lifestyle. To help paint a better picture, that’s about 30 football fields!
There are many things an average American can do to reduce their consumption. The book “365 Ways to Live Green” by Diana Gow McDilda gives tips to help reduce consumption. Here are three things that even a busy college kid can do:
First, make sure the cup of coffee you are drinking every morning was shade-grown. Shade-grown coffee uses less fertilizers and pesticides and helps maintain soil quality, meaning less impact to the environment. Check the packaging of your own coffee to make sure it’s shade-grown, or ask the employees of your favorite coffee shop.
Next, learn to enjoy walking. Stevens Point is not that big of a city, and most things are in walking distance. During the winter this can be tough, but in the nicer months, think twice before getting into your vehicle.
The last tip is to go organic. Try to use more organic, all- natural products in the bathroom. For example instead of buying the 6.7 oz bottle of Neutrogena Deep Clean face wash for $7.99, buy the 6.0 oz Burt’s Bees: Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream for $8.00.
To learn more about your own personal ecological footprint, visit www.earthday.net/ecofootprint and remember to always keep it clean; keep it green.
