America the Beautiful: Celebrating U.S. conservation efforts on Independence Day

On July 4th, 1776 the congressional approval of the Declaration of Independence severed direct ties between the United States and Great Britain. Since that time, we the people have celebrated the Fourth of July with family, fireworks, beer, and barbeques as a day of appreciation for this country's freedoms and accomplishments. So before the festivities begin, read about a few other reasons to have pride in the United States as not only protectors of its values and citizens, but also of land, water, and ecology.


For Purple Mountains Majesties

Mt. Whitney has an elevation of 14,505 ft and is the highest summit in the lower 48 states. Image provided by Wallpapers-Free.org.

 

One of the greatest achievements of the United States is its avid protection of land for the immeasurable tangible and intangible values it brings. A pioneer in environmental conservation and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, President Theodore Roosevelt once said "A nation that destroy its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." He later went on to help protect 150 National Forests with friend and colleague, environmentalist John Muir; established the National Park Service; and passed the Antiquities Act of 1906 which protects landmarks and monuments of historical or scientific value.

The National Park Service today maintains approximately 84 million square acres of land and over 4.5 million square acres of oceans, lakes, and reservoirs. They are also joined by the Bureau of Land Management which maintains approximately 643 million square acres of surface land, 247 million square acres of which is protected as public land for recreation and conservation. The U.S. Forest Service also protects more than 192 million square acres of public land, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which manages approximately 150 million square acres of National Wildlife Refuges. These are only a few of the agencies responsible for protecting land. There are also state, local, and privately owned protected land. Seeing is believing.


'Til all Success be Nobleness

The Bald Eagle was successfully recovered and removed from the Endangered Species List in 2007. Image provided by HDWallpapers.in.

 

Beyond that of land, the United States has maintained continuous effort in protecting threatened and endangered species of both flora and fauna. Congress recognized in the Endangered Species Act of 1973 that "fish, wildlife, and plants are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people." As of today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists 1,974 U.S. and foreign species as being threatened or endangered, 1,139 of which having active recovery plans. To date, the USFWS has aided in the recovery of 21 species including the Bald Eagle, American Alligator, Gray Whale, and Peregrine Falcon.

Maguire Daisy. Photo by Michelle Dela Cruz / NPS.

This year alone, we celebrate the recovery of two species: the Gray Wolf of the Northern Rocky Mountains and the Maguire Daisy. Gray Wolves are unfortunately still endangered in many other regions, but continued efforts are being made to successfully recover them. However, the Maguire Daisy was removed from the endangered species list on February 18th, 2011 and is found throughout Utah in higher elevations between 5200 and 8600 feet.

The Gray Wolf is prosperous in some regions but is still considered an endangered species. Photo by Tracy Brooks / USFWS.

From Sea to Shining Sea

Hawaiian coast. Photo provided by Blirk.net.

But none of these efforts are possible without maintaining the integrity of our water, oceans, and atmosphere. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Environmental Protection Agency both work to improve our oceans and climate by studying resources and interpreting the results; providing cleanup and manpower for disaster relief; ensuring the safety of chemicals and their usage to prevent pollution; and passing and enforcing laws to protect people, animals, and the environment.

The EPA also manages all hazardous and non-hazardous waste and recyclables under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. They are responsible for ensuring that contaminants don't effect our food, water, air, land, and oceans and are constantly attempting to improve current waste management programs.


So today when you're out barbecuing, spending time with your family, and celebrating our Independence Day, I hope you think back to some of these contributions made by the United States to protect the natural beauty of this portion of our planet. Not only are you able to enjoy this country's beauty, but so will future generations that sees beyond the years.


If you're all about the United States, maybe look into footage from last year's Puppy Bowl VII, or learn more about what Los Angeles is doing to cut down on trash.

52 eco-friendly things we can all do...and counting!

This was originally only going to be 11 things, but then I realized there are so many good things out there that needed mentioning. The list will keep growing as I find new and interesting ways to conserve!

1. Don't have a lawn. A lawn generally needs about 1.5 inches of water per week to maintain. Some places on earth don't even get that much water in a year! Not having a lawn will save water, reduce your bill, and keep you from having to mow a lawn!
2. Do your watering at night. If you must have a lawn, only water it in the early mornings or very late evenings to reduce water waste due to evaporation.
3. Start a xeriscape. Xeriscapes rarely need water and are perfect for dry hot climates. However, they can be maintained pretty much anywhere! They have less negative impact on the environment, require less care, and are simply beautiful.
4. Don't use pesticides. Chemical pesticides are bad for the environment and your health if not washed off of vegetables properly. Use organic alternative pesticides or no pesticides at all. Not using pesticides will attract insect-eating birds.
5. Compost. Composting reduces your waste while providing good nutrients to your garden.
6. Water your garden with drip irrigation. Drip irrigation keeps your plants at an ideal moisture level while less water goes to waste.
7. Strategically plant trees to cool off your home. They can block the sun from coming through the windows and increase the value of your home.
8. Replace old single-paned windows with double-paned ones. Your house will heat up and cool off much quicker, therefore using less energy.
9. Repair leaks. A leaky faucet can waste about a gallon of water per hour. Also caulk your old windows so that they don't let air out.
10. Use space heaters in the winter and fans in the summer instead of your HVAC system. If you live in especially cold or hot areas, blankets and public swimming pools reduce energy usage as well!
11. Invest in solar panels or a windmill. They cost about $10k to start up, but pay for themselves over time. More often then not, you can sell the energy you produce to your local energy company.
12. Replace old lightbulbs with energy-saving Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs (CFL's).
13. Turn off unused lights and appliances. Also invest in dimmers and motion-censored security lights at night.
14. When you use the dishwasher, let your dishes airdry or hand-dry them.
15. Use tupperware instead of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. This means less trash at home and less trash winding up in landfills.
16. If you're still using an old TV or other appliances, replace them! New ones use significantly less energy.
17. Use hand sanitizer instead of soap and water. This will kill germs while also reducing paper towel waste and water usage.
18. Wash your clothes cold water instead of hot water. If you think you need hot water, try warm water and see if you notice a difference.
19. Dry your clothes on a clothes line. Not using a clothes dryer will keep your energy usage down.
20. If you want to buy a new car, consider hybrid, electric, or more fuel efficient vehicles.
21. If you have a really old car that still has a diesel engine, have it converted to run on vegetable oil!
22. Drive less. If your work or the store is just around the corner, pick up a new hobby and jog or bike there. Or if that isn't your thing, walk there and start photographing things along the way! Either way, you'll have a new hobby and get more exercise while helping reduce gas consumption and traffic.
23. Carpool to work and school. Less cars = less traffic = less gas = less pollution!
24. When you do drive, do the speed limit. It's safer, cleaner, and you'll improve your MPG's. Also don't slam on the brakes or "peel out." Starting or stopping quickly lowers your fuel economy.
25. Do not buy products tested on animals. Check the backs of bottles to see if it says "Not tested on animals." (You can usually find it by the company name.) If you can't find it or it's not there, you can always call the company and ask. You can also research online what companies are known for sure to test on animals. For example, Proctor & Gamble--who makes many different products--are known to test on animals.
    
    
26. Go vegetarian. Vegetarian and vegan diets are incredibly healthy when done right. As long as you maintain protein intake from other sources such as soy products or protein shakes, you will stay happy and healthy.
27. If you must eat animal products, only eat organically. If you enjoy fast food, only eat at fast food chains that raise their animals ethically. Many fast food joints now regulate the treatment of their animals and even provide them with veterinary care.
28. Adopt unwanted pets instead of buying pure breeds. Also remember to get your pets spayed or neutered to prevent more unwanted animals from winding up homeless.
29. Cut up 6-pack holders. Another thing I learned from my grandma. Often when these are thrown out, small animals can get caught and end up choking on them. Birds that get caught in them and fly away can get hung up on trees and buildings.
30. Give your stuff away or sell it. Instead of throwing all that old stuff away, ask your friends if they want it. If they don't, and you don't want to try to sell it on eBay or in a boutique, give it away to the Salvation Army, The Goodwill, or other local thrift stores.
31. Drink tap water instead of bottled water. Use a filtration system directly on your tap, or buy a pitcher filter and store fresh filtered water in your fridge.
32. Buy an aluminum or stainless steel water bottle. These bottles can typically hold any fluid and will reduce the amount of plastic bottles ending up in landfills. Make sure if you buy an aluminum water bottle that it is has a non-leeching internal coating. Stainless steel bottles do not need coating!
33. "Paper or plastic?" Neither! Use cloth bags when you're going grocery shopping.
34. Don't throw plastic bags away. I learned this from my grandma who would keep them in cupboard. We never had to buy bags for our small trash bins again!
35. Use cloth diapers instead of disposable. I know what you're thinking...but you can always bleach them!
36. Stop using disposable chopsticks. 20% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the Amazon Rainforest. However, the Amazon is dying, mostly in part due to deforestation from companies using the trees to produce chopsticks that are only used once. They may make you feel cultured, but is it worth it?
37. Only flush when there's "#2." ...Or after too much of "#1."
38. Put a brick in the toilet tank. This will displace the water so that you use less with every flush. You can also fill up an old bleach bottle if you don't have any old bricks laying aroung.
39. Take showers instead of baths. Believe it or not, bathing wastes significantly more water than showering does (unless you take half-hour showers). Also, cutting your shower down by 2-minutes can save you five gallons of water!
40. Shower every other day. Unless you do construction or work in a mud house, you probably don't need to shower every day. People used to only bathe once a month, you know...though keep away from me if you do.
41. Don't litter! Littering makes you and your community look trashy.
42. Recycle! Not only do you help the environment, you make money from it! Set up recycling bins at home and at work for plastic, glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, and e-waste. This also teaches your kids and coworkers to also recycle.
43. Upcycle! Instead of throwing your stuff away, upcycle it. If you like the graphic on an old t-shirt, cut it out and turn it into a patch. Then use the rest of it as a cloth rag for around the house. If you have ripped up old jeans, rip them up more! Designers these day charge hundreds of dollars for pre-ripped jeans. Or just save your old clothes for those days you have to do house work or remodeling so you don't mess up the clothes you do like. You can also upcycle old furniture, fixtures, shoes, accessories, etc.
    
    
    
    
    
    Mosaics are a great way to upcycle.
    
    
44. Pay bills online. Most companies these days offer paperless billing. This will significantly cut down on paper usage--not only from mailing supplies and invoices, but your check or money order back to them!
45. Don't throw away unused fast food napkins. I also got this from my grandma who would keep them in her purse and in a kitchen drawer. Whenever I had to blow my nose, she would have a tissue ready! Now you don't have to buy paper towels or tissues.
46. Only buy recycled paper products including computer paper, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
47. Print on both sides of the paper. You'll cut down on your paper costs while helping the environment.
48. Make your own scratch paper. Cut up old prints or misprints into quarters and staple together to use as a scratch paper pad.
49. Recycle printer ink and toner. Most office supply stores also give you a discount when you bring back your old cartridges!
50. Buy products with less packaging and buy in bulk. The less packaging there is, the less stuff is going to waste. Thank you, Christophe!
51. Download online! Most of the time whenever you see a program or CD available in stores, it's going to be available to buy online. Again, the less packaging there is, the less stuff is going to waste! Thanks again, Christophe!
52. Share this page! Getting the word out so more people can change their ways may be the best thing you can do.

http://www.hand-sanitizer-dispenser-review.com/hand-sanitizer-enviroment.htm
http://www.50waystohelp.com/
http://savetheamazonrainforest.com/web_folders/faq_answers/
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/15/14300.pdf
http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworldpublishing.com/Resources/101WaysToHelpPlanetEarth.pdf