June 5th is World Environment Day! (Established by the United Nations in 1972.) Celebrate by shrinking your clompy carbon footprint with three simple changes you can make today:
1. Unplug chargers (cellphone, camera, etc.) from wall sockets when not in use. Leaving them plugged in all the time results in “vampire” energy loss… and wasting electricity means burning fossil fuels which means melting the ice caps which means bad things for polar bears and humans too.
2. Avoid the harrowing paper/plastic conundrum altogether! Put a few reusable cloth grocery totes in a completely intrusive place so you will actually remember to take them to the store next time. Experience the thrill of answering, “Neither, thank you. I brought my own bags.”
3. Exchange your regular incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient compact flourescent bulbs. If you’re persnickity about the light they cast, start by using them in places where you aren’t so apt to be checking yourself out (the basement, the porch, the garage, etc.).
Finally, join the many people on 43 Things who have made the commitment to go green.
June 5th is also the day, back in 1977, that the first personal computer went on sale. All hail the Apple II, aka the Apple ][, which heralded the brave new world we’re now completely, hopelessly dependent upon (many of us for our livelihoods, ahem). Note: If you’re feeling a little too attached to your computer, why not make an effort to “unplug,” at least for a short time?
