5 Most Important Things You Can Do for the Environment

If you feel you’re not doing enough for the environment by replacing your incandescent light bulbs with LED lights and composting your kitchen scraps, maybe you’re ready to make a deeper commitment to environmental stewardship. Some of these strategies may seem a little radical, but they are among the most valuable actions you can take to protect and preserve Earth’s environment. Have Fewer Children—Or None Overpopulation is arguably the world’s most serious environmental problem because it exacerbates all of the others. The global population grew from 3 billion in 1959 to 6 billion in 1999, an increase of 100 percent in just 40 years. According to current projections, the world population will expand to 9 billion by 2040. This represents a slower growth rate than that of the last half of the 20th century, but it will nevertheless leave us with many more people to accommodate. Planet Earth is a closed system with limited resources—only so much fresh water and clean air and only so many acres of land for growing food. As the world population grows, our finite resources must stretch to serve more and more people. At some point, that will no longer be possible. Some scientists believe we have already passed that point. Ultimately, we need to reverse this growth trend by gradually bringing the human population of our planet back down to a more manageable size. This means more people must decide to have fewer children. This may sound pretty simple on the surface, but the drive to reproduce is fundamental in all species. The decision to limit or forgo the experience is a difficult one for many people because of emotional, cultural, and religious traditions and pressures. In many developing countries, large families can be a matter of survival. Parents often have as many children as possible to ensure that some will live to help with farming or other work and to care for the parents when they are old. For people in cultures like these, lower birth rates will only come after other serious issues such as poverty, hunger, poor sanitation, and freedom from disease have been adequately addressed. In addition to keeping your own family small, consider supporting programs that fight hunger and poverty, improve sanitation and hygiene, or promote education, family planning, and reproductive health in developing nations. Use Less Water—And Keep It Clean Fresh, clean water is essential to life—no one can live long without it—yet it is one of the scarcest and most endangered resources in our increasingly fragile biosphere. Water covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, but most of that is salt water. Freshwater supplies are much more limited and today a third of the world’s people lack access to clean drinking water. According to the United Nations, 95 percent of the cities worldwide still dump raw sewage into their water supplies. Not surprisingly, 80 percent of all illnesses in developing countries can be linked to unsanitary water. Especially if you live in a dry climate, you should use only as much water as you need, avoid wasting the water used, and strive to protect  water supplies. Eat Responsibly Eating locally grown food supports local farmers and merchants in your own community as well as reducing the amount of fuel, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions required to move the food you eat from the farm to your table. Eating organic meat and produce keeps pesticides and chemical fertilizers off your plate and out of rivers and streams. Eating responsibly also means eating less meat and fewer animal products such as eggs and dairy products, or perhaps none at all. Eating less meat is a matter of good stewardship of our finite resources. Farm animals emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, and raising animals for food requires many times more land and water than growing food crops. Livestock now uses 30 percent of the planet’s land surface, including 33 percent of farmland worldwide, which is used to produce animal feed. Every time you sit down to a plant-based meal instead of an animal-based meal, you save about 280 gallons of water and protect anywhere from 12 to 50 square feet of land from deforestation, overgrazing, and pesticide and fertilizer pollution. Conserve Energy—And Switch to Renewable Energy Walk, bike, and use public transportation more. Drive less. Not only will you be healthier and help to preserve precious energy resources, but you’ll also save money. According to a study by the American Public Transportation Association, families that use public transportation can reduce their household expenses by $6,200 annually, more than the average U.S. household spends on food every year. There are dozens of other ways you can conserve energy. You can turn off lights and unplug appliances when they are not in use and substitute cold water for hot whenever practical. Other small steps you can take include weather stripping your doors and windows and not overheating or overcooling your home and office. (An added bonus is that a good office temperature also boosts productivity.) One way to start is to get a free energy audit from your local utility. Whenever possible, choose renewable energy over fossil fuels. For example, many municipal utilities now offer green energy alternatives so that you can get some or all of your electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Many human activities—from using coal-fired power plants to generate electricity to driving gasoline-powered vehicles—cause greenhouse gas emissions that heat the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Scientists are already seeing significant climate changes that point to the likelihood of serious consequences. Some scenarios foresee increasing drought that could further reduce food and water supplies and, at the same time, rising sea levels that will submerge islands and coastal regions and create millions of environmental refugees. Online calculators can help you measure and reduce your personal carbon footprint, but climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions and, so far, the world’s nations have been slow to find common ground on this issue. In addition to lowering your own carbon footprint, let your government officials know that you expect them to take action on this issue—and keep the pressure on until they do. Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Duck Hunting Is A Dying Sport - 1251 Words

Duck hunting is a dying sport that many people will never get to experience for the ones who have experienced it know that it becomes an addiction and that it is so much more than just pulling the trigger. Even though shooting the ducks make up for a good majority of the fun, there are many behind the scenes acts that go on to make the whole Green Wing Duck Club experience one of a kind. The Club’s rich history, five star club house, scenic location, and conservation efforts all contribute to the full waterfowl experience that fewer and fewer people are able to experience every year. In the late 1800s the historic Green Wing Duck Club was formed by wealthy scholars who cherished the epic and sometimes dangerous sport of duck hunting.†¦show more content†¦This may not seem like a five star lodge, but to a duck hunter it’s all they could possibly want. Walking in the front door is like walking into a rustic, old cabin on a lake long forgotten in the woods. There are old Ducks Unlimited paintings scattered all throughout the trailer along with duck, deer, and old fish mounts. In addition to the entrance room there are also a kitchen, living room, and mud room area, which is all separated by a tight doorway. . Entering the dilapidated kitchen area is like walking through a 1960s family dining room. Old discolored laminate countertops line the perimeter of the kitchen along with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker. The duck paintings continue to throughout the kitchen and into the living room. The old 1960s atmosphere is still present when entering the living, but with a few more modern amenities such as a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and running water. Last but not least is the mud room. The mud room is the final area the hunters are in before the big hunt. This is where they get dressed in there camo waders and decide which area of the property they wish to hunt. The Green Wing club house is the member’s home away from ho me during duck season. Stories of past hunting excursions fill the air when duck season rolls around, and the sounds of old wise men chuckling muffle the room. The Green Wing Club house is where the hunters come together as friends, butShow MoreRelatedHunting Is An Unnecessary Form Of Cruelty2027 Words   |  9 PagesSport hunting is very popular in this day and age, but not always for the right reasons. Many people believe it is cruel to animals and should not be allowed and others believe that it is fair to animals and it should be allowed. What many people do not know is that hunting can be very beneficial to both people and the environment. Hunters do not travel all over the world and spend all day outside and slay animals just for fun. 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Claddagh Rings free essay sample

Todays society is extremely fashion and style conscious. Most styles and trends are in one day and out the next, from clothing, jewelry, and accessories. However some trends are timeless and never go out of style, like the Irish Claddagh ring. But what is the origin of the jewelry and why is it still such a popular trend today? All these questions can be explained by looking at the origin, legends, meaning, and usage of the ring. The history of the Claddagh ring is surrounded in uncertainty due to the many popular folk stories that circulating around the origins of the ring. However what we do know for certain is that the ring originated from the Irish town of Claddagh(cite48). Claddagh was a small fishing village outside the city of Galway (cite48). This is where the name of the ring comes from. As with most story there are always many variations, in the case of the Claddagh ring and its origins there are numerous. We will write a custom essay sample on Claddagh Rings or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One variation is how Margaret Joyce took the fortune inherited from her late husband, a Spanish merchant, and used it for charitable causes. She was reward for her charitably when a eagle one day dropped the the original Claddagh ring into her lap. cite48) The most likely legend of the rings origin is generally attributed to Richard Joyce. It goes that around 1675 Joyce was captured by Algerian pirates and sold as a slave while traveling to the West Indies. Joyce was sold to a Turkish goldsmith who taught him his craft. Joyce was released after William III was accession to the throne of England in 1689 and released all prisoners held captive by the Moors. Joyce served his master for fourteen years and when released his master offered half his wealth and his daughters hand in marriage if Joyce would continue to practice under him. Joyce declined this offer and returned to Claddagh where he married, had his on business as a silversmith and created the first Claddagh ring. The historical facts from this version of the story hold more truth to the origins of the ring then any other legend given that King William III did in fact release all Moors slaves. (cite 48 49) The Claddagh ring has a distinctive design. It features two hands clasping a heart that is surmounted with a crown. The ring itself is a symbol of love and marriage. Its believed that the heart represents love, the hand friendship, and the crown loyalty(cite 49). Going back to Richard Joyce if he is, and mostly likely was, the creator of the Claddagh ring the design itself depicts his loyalty and love of his country, since he did refused his masters offers to come home to Ireland. The Claddagh ring when created was used as a wedding or betrothal ring passed down from mother to daughter during a time of marriage (cite 49). This tradition it ensured the survival of the ring. (cite 49. ) The rings unique design also ensured its survival because it could be worn by both sex since it represents friendship and loyalty. Claddagh rings are still a expression of romance today. Today you can find the Claddagh symbol on different types of Celtic crosses, pendants, candles, and other jewelry. Its popularity in todays society has been boosted threw media and pop culture, with celebrities wearing the ring and movies like Ladder 41, which describes how they way in which one wears the ring shows if they are in love or still open to friendship. Regardless of which legend of how the ring originated is true the facts is that the Claddagh ring has survived through history, keeping a symbolic meaning that is still significant.