By Kristen Swanberg
Executive Director
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Special Event: Audubon’s Earth Celebration this Saturday on April 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will have plenty of outdoor activities for the little ones, including beach and wetland explorations, nature play zone and animal interviews. Come to Audubon’s Earth Day 2009 Celebration and learn more tips and ideas to get you moving you in a greener direction.
Each of us has the power to make a difference in the world around us. Changing a few daily habits can really add up. Start small, with simple everyday actions, like turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth. Decisions you make have an immediate impact on today’s environment–and contribute to a lasting improvements for generations to come.
Here are some simple steps to get you started:
1. Use Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in Your Home
-Â A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a regular bulb and can last up to four years.
-Â Substituting a compact fluorescent light for a traditional bulb will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
2. Recycle, Recycle & Recycle Some More!
-Â Enough aluminum is thrown away to rebuild our commercial air fleet four times every year.
-Â Each year, enough paper is thrown away to make a 12-foot wall that runs from New York to California.
3. Turn Your Thermostat Down by 1 Degree
-Â For each 1 degree Fahrenheit you lower the thermostat in the winter, you’ll save 5% on heating costs.
4. Turn Off Water When Brushing Your Teeth
-Â This simple act can save your household 8 gallons of water every day.
5. Shop With Reusable Bags
-Â It can take up to 100 years for a plastic bag to degrade.
-Â Â Only 1% of plastic bags are recycled annually.
-Â 14 million trees are cut down each year to make paper grocery bags.
-Â It takes 12 billion barrels of oil to produce the amount of paper bags we use in America annually.
And don’t forget to get outside and enjoy the natural world. What better way to celebrate our Earth than to connect with nature and ultimately learn about our environment?
Details:
Audubon Environmental Education Center – 1401 Hope Street (Route 114), Bristol, RI
April 18, 2009 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ride your bike to the Environmental Education Center on Earth Day and get free admission to the event. Admission: $6/member adult, $4/member child (ages 4-12); $8/non-member adult, $5/non-member child (ages 4-12); children under 4 free.
Facts listed above were compiled from: earth911.org, Students for Sustainable Energy, DoSomething.org, Environmental Defense Fund, thedailygreen.com