- Five Ways to Create Healthier Homes
and Habitats
by Bouneith Inejnema
- We've assembled a list of five truly simple things that you can do this year to help the environment and, we promise, you won't have to lose weight, give up T.V., or spend more time with your in-laws, to find success. Consider the following ways that you can make a difference for the living world.
Buy Coffee that's Made in the Shade Who doesn't love a great cup of coffee in the morning? But did you know that throughout the tropics, commercial coffee growers are clearing forests for sun-coffee plantations, dest-roying regions that are rich in biodiversity. You can help restrict this practice by buying and requesting shade-grown coffee at your neighborhood café or grocer. Visit the Seattle Audubon Society Web site, www.seattleaudubon.org/ shadecoffee to find out where you can purchase shade-grown coffee.
Buy Organic and Locally Produced Foods There's a reason the organic foods market is the fastest growing segment of supermarket retailing. People all over the world are enjoying the satisfaction of eating high-quality fresh foods that don't have a negative chemical impact on their communities. And, when you buy from local growers, you help keep farmers in business and reduce the energy and packaging costs associated with large-scale commercial production and shipping. For more information visit the Local Harvest Web site at www.localharvest.org
Make Smart Seafood Choices If you love great seafood, but you're worried about the impacts of commercial over-fishing in our oceans - here's a resolution you'll want to keep. You can make smart seafood choices and help sustain the world's marine diversity with very little effort. The Seafood Choices Alliance Web site has simple guidelines on sustainable fisheries and what's OK to visit the site at www.seafoodchoices.org.
Create Backyard Habitat Save yourself the hassle of a big lawn and plant a few trees, shrubs or ornamental grasses in your yard. They'll make your homestead more attractive to wildlife and save you time and money in the long-run. To learn how to make your backyard biodiversity friendly, see the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat ? Program, they even have an online planner: www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat.
Just Say "No" to Lawn and Garden Pesticides If you need a reason to stop or reduce your lawn and garden herbicide and pesticide use, take a moment to read the warning label on the packages. Pesticides and weed-killers don't just kill intended weeds and insects, they can also kill beneficial insects and plants. Even worse, you could accidentally poison pets or children and pollute your drinking water. Thankfully, there are low-cost effective and safe alternatives. To learn more about gardening without using harmful chemicals visit the Earth Share Web site on organic gardening, www.earthshare.org/tips/orggard.html
If you would like to learn more about the Five Ways to Create Healthier Homes and Habitats visit the Biodiversity Project's Web site at www.biodiversityproject.org.
