From Guest Blogger Lizzie Weakly: Seven Clean-up Tips to Keep Your Area Environmentally Friendly

There are several ways that you can help your community become more environmentally friendly. Others will want to join in when they see one person starting. If each of the 89,000 communities in the United States. If each one does there part, then the world will become a totally different place. Start with these seven ideas.

Reconnect with Your Neighbors

You can have a minimum impact by yourself in making your community environmentally friendly, but you will have a much larger impact by getting to know your neighbors. Start talking to them about how important it is to take care of the planet.

Make New Friends in High Places

Talk to people at the local stores that you visit about the importance of being environmentally friendly. Take it a step further by talking to your local government and local celebrities. Plan fun events where people can learn more about being environmentally friendly.

Buy Local

The average American meal travels about 1,500 miles before it reaches your dinner table. Look for ways to buy more food that is grown locally. If there are not local farmers markets, then take steps to organize one.

Use Alternative Transportation

Use the local bus system or ride with others. When you do, make sure that people know that you are doing so because you are choosing to be environmentally friendly. Then, encourage them to do so too. Talk to local business about giving discounts to those who walk, ride the bus or take the train to get to their location.

Get Involved in the Schools

Change often starts with the youngest members of the community. See if teachers will allow you to talk to their students. Organize cleanup projects with local youth organizations followed by a fun activity. Work with companies such as Tri-State Disposal to get rid of trash collected. Once children become excited about being environmentally friendly, they will remind their parents of the need to take care of the earth.

Plant Trees

Most communities do not have enough trees. Get your community excited about planting more trees. Organize activities to make your community a Tree City. As people see their communities becoming more beautiful, they will be encouraged to take their own actions to care for the earth.

Listen to Others

Trying to be environmentally friendly can be a lonely road if you try to organize all the activities by yourself. Encourage other community members to come up with their own ideas. Consider starting a Facebook group where everyone can share their own ideas.

There are many ways that people can become more environmentally friendly. It is more fun when you work with others.