Summer Sustainability: Simple and Fun Ways to Serve the Planet This Season
Summer is the best time for enjoying the great outdoors. However, you can’t take that fun in the sun for granted. Scientists warn that we only have 11 short years remaining to stave off dire climate change consequences, and stopping the destruction requires everyone to do their part. Here are 10 simple and fun ways to serve the planet this season.
1. Learn Something New
Sustainability starts with education, but you don’t have to travel any further than your tablet to discover the various ways human activity impacts the planet. For example, coffee aficionados might find it fascinating to learn about the precise environmental conditions required for growing their favorite magical beans.
If you can’t afford a summer getaway, travel sustainably via computer. You can learn about efforts to make palm oil production more eco-friendly by preserving orangutan habitats and labeling products so consumers know their options.
2. Frequent the Farmers Market
Summer is the season for the freshest organic produce, but shipping it to your grocery store produces emissions as trucks travel long distances. Instead, research local sustainable food sources, and hit up your farmers market for goods that originate right down the road. Go at the end of the day if possible. Many vendors would rather sell goods at a discount than take them home to rot before the next market day, and you can find rock-bottom tomato deals.
3. Adjust Your Thermostat
Adjust your central air conditioning by 1 degree to save 2%-3% on your utility bill. You won’t feel such a fractional difference, but you’ll see it reflected on your statement — and feel good about your commitment to protecting the planet.
4. Try a Sustainable Summer Recipe
Summertime is synonymous with cookouts for many people. But hot dogs and hamburgers are not the only option for summer meals, especially if you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact and meat consumption. There are plenty of eco-friendly recipes you can enjoy when the weather gets warmer.
If you do want to join in on the grilling fun, try out fruit kabobs or veggie burgers. For a cold beverage, blend your favorite berries with coconut milk for a dairy-free summery smoothie. Trying out a new recipe is always fun, and using organic and vegan ingredients will please both you and the planet.
5. Simplify Your Landscape
Are you sick and tired of spending every Saturday mowing the lawn? Why not free yourself from the burden without raising your neighbor’s eyebrows? Get rid of your grass and opt for xeriscaping, a landscaping style that uses native plants to minimize water use and maintenance requirements. You’ll only need to rake, trim and weed a few times a year instead of having a weekly chore.
6. Change Your Bulbs
You might not feel or smell light pollution, but it contributes to firefly extinction and harms migratory birds. Summer nights mean sitting out on the porch, but standard white lights cause unnecessary headaches.
Instead, switch to bulbs lower on the color temperature scale and use covered enclosed fixtures. You’ll also attract fewer bugs — they aren’t as attracted to such wavelengths.
7. Banish Bugs Naturally
Insects can bother you any time of day, but you can banish them without harmful chemicals. Citronella does a lovely job of keeping mosquitoes at bay. Another option is to repurpose an empty 2-liter bottle by cutting off the top third and inverting it in the bottom half. Fill the vessel with a sugar-water solution — when flying menaces enter for a treat, they become trapped and drown.
8. Plant a Garden
What’s even fresher than farmers market fare? The food you pick from your garden. You can even go further with sustainability by saving the seeds from your organic produce to reduce trips to the nursery and building a compost bin to use table scraps to enhance your soil, not chemical fertilizer.
9. Pick up Litter
Summer means taking more walks and hikes — what do you do when encountering litter? You can embrace this fun way to serve the planet by carrying a small bag with you, picking up any garbage you see and depositing it in the correct receptacles.
10. Recycle on Road Trips
Summer’s long, lazy days also invite road trips. However, few gas stations offer recycling bins on-site. Instead of tossing those aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the trash, carry a container for these items to dispose of correctly at home.
Plan for a Sustainable Summer
Saving the Earth requires everyone’s cooperation all year. Why not embrace these 10 simple and fun ways to increase your sustainability and serve the planet this summer season? You’re likely to be doing a lot of these activities in the summer months, so why not take the extra step to make sure you’re serving the planet? You’ll be glad you did, and so will the world around you.
