From Guest Blogger Lizzie Weakley: Seven Ways to Maintain a Clean Environment

Everyone is trying to benefit the environment, but it’s hard to know how one person can help. Whether you’re trying to save money, trees or animals, there are many ways to contribute to a greener tomorrow.

Reduce and Reuse

The best way to avoid unnecessary garbage is to not make it in the first place. When making a purchase, ask yourself if you really need the product. While the new version might be environmentally friendly and made with natural materials, you will actually have less impact by not owning it at all.

Eat Vegetarian
Livestock produces 80% percent of all agricultural based pollution. From greenhouse gases to deforestation of rainforests for cattle and the 2,500 gallons of water it takes to create a pound of beef, meat production is a wasteful business. Just eating one vegetarian meal a week can cut back on this impact.

Batch Errands
If you feel like you constantly having to take the car out for one more thing, consider making a list of errands and completing them in groups. Ask yourself if a trip can be paired with a later outing. Not only will you save yourself time, but you’ll save gas and reduce your chemical emissions.

Download Games and Software
Discs, manuals and packaging contribute are huge amount of waste. Not only do computers no longer need discs to run programs, but entire instruction manuals and guides can be found on the internet. Buy your software and video games online.

Reduce your Snail Mail
Each year, Americans receive over 40 pounds of junk mail. Hefty bill statements and useless offers contribute to the destruction of 100 million trees annually. Sign up for digital statements with your bank and take the time to contact those wasteful services that send you offers you don’t need.

Buy Locally Grown Foods
Most fruits and vegetables at your supermarket have traveled across the country by truck to be there. By buying local, you are contributing to pesticide and chemical free agriculture and saving the environment from the pollution made in transport.

Proper Waste Removal
Make sure you dispose of waste properly. Waste removal services like Ontario Trucking and Disposal oversee the decomposition and disposal of nonhazardous materials, reducing their impact. They even ensure the proper disposal of batteries, paint and electronics.

Taking care of our environment may seem like a problem too big for one person, but there are many ways to make an impact. The most important thing you can do is lead by example.