With classes coming to an end and outside temperatures rising means only one thing, SUMMER!! Summer is a time for relaxation, vacations, and fun. What’s not to love, the sun, clear skies, hot weather; a trifecta for fellow Winter season hater’s like me. With temperatures reaching sometimes up to one hundred degrees, cooling off in refreshing water, or in an air-conditioned home is a big go-to for most. Although this is a great time of year, many people do not think how Summer can affect the environment. Below, are a few tips on how we can live our best summer lives while being sustainably aware.
- Water Conservation is Key
During this wonderfully warm time of the year, water use is extremely high. Things like shortening showers to five minutes instead of ten are small easy adaption, that everyone can do. Covering pools, to keep them clean is something many people do not think, but can end up saving gallons of water is applied. If you want to learn more, linked below are countless other ways to conserve H2O.
https://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/page/2/
2. Close Your Shades!
The sun is out people!! Keeping your window opens means baking your home, causing your air conditioner to work twice as hard to keep it cool. Pulling down your shades or blinds is a simple, easy way to conserve needless energy running through your home.
3. Take Advantage of These Glorious, Sunny Days, and Sun Dry Your Clothing
When washing clothes or linens, instead of throwing them in an energy-sucking, tumbling machine, use natural resources like IDK, our Sun?! Yes, it may take a bit longer, but wouldn’t you rather have your laundry take longer than die early from climate-caused environmental disaster? Yeah, me too.
4. Drink Up! But Only Through Environmentally Friendly Reusable Water Bottles
Humans need water, and our planet can sustain all 7 billion of us drinking it (hopefully). However, what it can’t sustain, is the human race, drinking it through the world of unsustainable plastic. We know plastic is killing our effervescent Earth, so why do we still insist on using this evil synthetic material? Just one trip to the store and one purchase of reusable water bottle can solve this issue.
5. Go Outside, and Unplug
Take advantage of the beautiful weather, that Winter temporarily stole from us, and go outside. When you do this, don’t forget to unplug any or all electronics that you aren’t using. Doing this will save unneeded energy, ultimately helping our planet.
Overall these tips alone won’t save the Earth, but if we all come together and take a stand, maybe we can environmental ball rolling, paving a natural path to change. All it takes is one small step to start the revolution. Although these are tips for the season of summer, they can be used year ’round for overall better results. And if you are one those odd people who hate summer, I’d encourage you even more to make these changes. The worse off the environment gets, the hotter temperatures get; meaning hotter summers and even hotter winters. If you’d like to learn more about changes you can make, read the link below. And remember, treat the Earth like it’s the only planet we got!
https://www.greenmountainenergy.com/2013/06/top-10-tips-for-a-sustainable-summer/
By: Sydney Graham
Edited By: Ben Moralez