Planet Earth needs your help! Make a basic start.

Every 5 seconds 21 human consumers are born on this planet...and they keep arriving relentlessly and uncontrolled. Our total population recently surpassed 7 billion. I believe we now all agree that Planet Earth is in dire straits.

Consuming Earth’s resources in an unsustainable manner is THE problem and this is where we all have to make a change. Obviously all our actions create a reaction somewhere in this world. 

A recent report published by the ‘Institute of Mechanical Engineers’ see www.imeche.org states  half of the world’s food production is wasted through mismanagement and uninformed or indifferent consumer behaviour.  Much can be achieved if we become considerate and responsible consumers....it’s called ‘consumer power’.

This means we have to re-educate ourselves and adjust our consumer habits. Relying on our various governments to save this planet obviously hasn’t worked; otherwise we wouldn’t be in such a critical situation. This world can neither be saved with baking soda, nor by tweeting and facebooking alone. Conservation only works effectively if we adopt a holistic approach and we have to LIVE IT !

The late Michael Jackson expressed it beautifully in one of his songs:

“If you want to make this world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change”.

Clean, unpolluted water has become a precious commodity all around the world. It is the source of all life. Do your best to use it in a considerate manner. By now everybody knows...no long showers, don’t run the tap while cleaning your teeth, only do full washing machine loads....you know the drill!

Reduce the environmental impact.

Buy locally grown and made as much as you can. This reduces the environmental impact of burning fossil fuel through excessive transportation and helps support your own country/community in a big way. It creates jobs for the people of YOUR country and ultimately for YOU!

Buy organically grown foods.

They are more tasty and nutritious and aren’t loaded with toxins that can cause serious health issues from allergies to cancer. The book “The Chemical Maze” by Bill Statham www.thechemicalmaze.com, makes a great shopping guide and will open your eyes about the health hazards that come packaged as ‘food’.

Some people complain about the costs of organic foods. They are not always priced higher than non-organics...that’s a common misconception. Go check them out next time you are in the supermarket, but be wary of the fake ‘green’ labels.

Fact is, growing things organically is more labour intensive. Instead of using toxic sprays and artificial fertilisers applied by one man with a machine, a more laborious and complex holistic approach is involved. ‘Labour intensive’...that’s the good news...it creates more jobs!

Why organic you may ask? Besides the adverse effects on your own health; spraying of herbicides and pesticides has a tremendous impact on global climate and is disastrous to Nature. It pollutes water sources and kills native fauna and flora. This topic is so complex that I can’t even begin to scratch the surface here. I can only recommend looking at the website of Pesticide Action Network (PAN) www.panap.net or buying the book: ‘PESTICIDES: Sowing Poison. Growing Hunger, Reaping Sorrow’ by Dr. Meriel Watts PhD ISBN 978-983-9381-39-9

The beginning of the end.

Not only is it good for the planet, it is also very good for your health! Heart disease related to high cholesterol levels is less common in vegetarians. A plant based diet can lower blood sugar levels and help control diabetes.

There are a multitude of reasons for reducing your animal protein intake.

Intensive meat farming has been the beginning of the end for wildlife habitat, as well as destroying ecosystems. All around the world, deforestation to create pasture has degraded vast areas, caused erosion and polluted waterways. You save more water by not eating 1 pound of beef, than by not showering for at least 6 months!

The methane emitted by all the cattle and sheep contributes ‘big time’ to global warming. A report from the World Watch Institute states that 51% of greenhouse gases emissions come from livestock.

These are but a few detrimental effects of eating meat.

If you must eat fish, catch it yourself.

The fishing industry is totally unsustainable. Its fishing methods are irresponsible and destructive and its quotas are largely based on commercial gain, not sustainability. Proof if proof is needed is the collapse of various fish stocks.

If you must eat fish, Greenpeace publishes a list of species that are ‘OK’ to eat OR catch it yourself!

Scientists still don’t fully understand the oceans, these complex ecosystems sustaining our planet. Rehabilitation to alleviate the damage we’ve done, like we do on land, is extremely difficult if not impossible. We can’t successfully reintroduce species that are threatened or have become extinct. The best thing we can do for the ocean is to leave it alone; i.e., create marine reserves.

Even better reduce.

Recycle and reuse every little scrap of ‘rubbish’ you produce.

Even better, produce less by avoiding products with elaborate packaging. 

A cucumber does not need to sit in a cellophane-wrapped Styrofoam tray!

Farmers’ markets have become very popular again and are an enjoyable and social way to ‘hunt’ for your food. Again, you are supporting people from your community and they will in turn support you.

Think of all the landfills overflowing with cheap items made in Asia when you go bargain hunting next time. Soon you’ll be spending more money, when you have to replace the ‘goods’.

And don’t forget...one man’s ‘trash’ is another man’s ‘treasure’. Africans set a fine example by turning plastic bottles or tin cans into another functioning item, or fantastic pieces of art. Let yourself be inspired! REDUCE-REUSE- RECYCLE

Sound cleaning products and cosmetics.

Use only environmentally safe cleaning products and cosmetics. Judging by the warnings on restaurant menus, many people nowadays suffer from allergies, which can be caused by synthetic ingredients and additives in food, cosmetics and cleaning products.

Well....what do you expect, when you eat stuff loaded with artificial chemicals, wear things saturated in toxins and clean yourself and your household with poisons?

Barbara Lords ‘GREEN CLEANER’ ISBN 1-920910-05-0 is a  must-have in every household. Experience for yourself how good you will feel after a period of non-exposure to toxic chemicals.

Pets have a negative impact on native wildlife.

Be a responsible pet owner. Seriously consider whether a pet is really appropriate in your environment. Connecting with native wildlife in your garden is a very heart-warming experience.

Cats and dogs are introduced species in Australia that have a very negative impact on our native wildlife.

Keep your pets under control at all times. Just because they have taught you the trick of opening the fridge for them, they have not given up on killing wildlife. They are predators; it is embedded in their nature - and because they are clever, they have learned to pretend to their owners that they couldn’t even hurt a fly.

Recently wealthy countries, where dogs and cats typically would get only table scraps (if they were lucky- if they were unlucky they were eaten) have created an explosive increase in global pet food consumption and pet products. Not only have Pooch and Moggy joined the ranks of first class consumers; they are also a biohazard through their faeces, food bowls and litter boxes. Toxoplasmosis and toxocariasis are diseases transmitted to humans and wildlife through contact with dog and cat faeces.

Causes for injury and death of wildlife.

Be a considerate motorist.

Whether you drive a car, motorbike or a motor boat; drive very carefully when travelling in wildlife habitat. Vehicle collisions are one of the most common causes of injury and death of wildlife.

Always immediately report accidents involving wildlife to your local authority or a wildlife rescue group such as WIRES and ask their advice. By notifying your local wildlife rescue organisation, you might be able to save an animal’s life or that of its joey - which may be in the pouch of a marsupial.

Don’t poison your garden.

Be a wildlife friendly gardener/landowner.

Don’t use poisons in your garden. There are some excellent biological control methods for unwanted animals and plants, which are not harmful to nature, wildlife or yourself AND are very inexpensive.

Grow plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife. Natural nesting hollows formed over many decades by fungi decay and termites have disappeared with the felling of old trees. It takes at least 100 years for a eucalypt tree to develop hollows.

By providing nesting boxes you can make a real difference to the survival of wildlife and it gives you the chance to learn first-hand about the wild co-habitants of your home.

Visit:www.tvwc.org for guidelines how to build nesting boxes. It is easy, cheap and fun, as well as an educational project for your kids.

Consider covenanting ‘wilder’ areas of your property, it can be very rewarding. For advice, consult your local authority.

There is an excellent guide book on these subjects: e.g.“Care of Australian Wildlife” by Erna Walraven ( ISBN 174110207-3) , which touches on all aspects of nature conservation and has great advice.

Make this world a better place!

Sign up to the newsletters of as many conservation organisations as possible. It’s a good way to stay informed about what is happening out there. Many organisations send out petitions and by signing them you’ll get a chance to directly support causes that are dear to your heart. This only takes seconds and can be done online. The Internet is a powerful activism tool!

There are so many people out there who also feel passionately about the protection of this magnificent planet. A staggering amount of time has gone into researching and accumulating information to inspire and help you to make this world a better place.

Don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself!

While surfing the net, I’ve not only come across gloom and doom, but also discovered very positive, informative and constructive websites. 

Here are some other sites I also subscribe to:

greenpeace www.greenpeace.org
wilderness www.wilderness.org.au
wwf www.wwf.org.au
nct www.nct.org.au
green living tips www.greenlivingtips.com
avaaz www.avaaz.org
global issues www.globalissues.org
imeche www.imeche.org
resurgence www.resurgence.org
wildlife land trust www.wildlifelandtrust.org.au
environmental defenders office NSW www.edonsw.org.au
ocean spirit www.oceanspirit.org