Ways to Prevent Damage to the Environment

342 Words2 Pages
Three Ways to Prevent Damage to the Environment Preventing damage to the environment has become a way of life for many people, with zero waste, sustainable living and carbon footprint reduction becoming common goals in households and businesses across the nation. Selecting even a few actions from the vast array of options for greening the planet to incorporate into daily activities can protect water resources, improve air quality, reduce waste and raise awareness of environmental issues. Conserve Water With 36 states in the U.S. potentially facing water shortages in 2013, water conservation is a critical environmental concern (See References 1). Conserving water not only extends our water resources for use by future generations, it protects the animals and plants that live in areas with limited water availability. Easy ways to conserve water include installing low-flow fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens, planting a native garden instead of a lawn in your yard, taking short showers and fixing leaks immediately (See References 2). Clear the Air Despite significant improvements in air quality since 1990, approximately 124 million people in the U.S. lived in counties that exceeded one or more national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in 2010 (See References 4). Taking action to improve air quality runs the gamut from planting trees to filter the air to purchasing green energy for residential use and using ride-sharing, public, pedal or pedestrian transport to reduce trips and vehicle emissions (See References 4). Reduce Waste In 2010 Americans generated garbage at a rate of 4.43 pounds per person per day and recycled garbage at a rate of only 34 percent, leaving 165 million tons of trash destined for landfills (See References 5), according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics. Reducing waste in combination with recycling can reduce methane

More about Ways to Prevent Damage to the Environment

Open Document