WHY PLANTS ARE IMPORTANT???
FOOD

WATER

AIR

CLIMATE

HABITAT

MEDICINES

WAYS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT!

• RECYCLING

WATER CONSERVATION

• ENERGY CONSERVATION
  
  
  
  
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• SUSTAINABILITY
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• COMPOSTING

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HEAT EXHAUSTION VS. HEAT STROKE...

• SYMPTOMS

• FIRST AID
  

SAVE ENVIRONMENT!!!

WHY PLANTS ARE IMPORTANT…….??

Plants are the backbone of all life on Earth and an essential resource for human well-being. Just think about how your everyday life depends on plants.

	Ø Food: Everything we eat comes directly or indirectly from plants. Throughout human history, approximately 7,000 different plant species have been used as food by people.		Ø Air: Oxygen is brought to you by plants, as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
	Ø Water: Plants regulate the water cycle: they help distribute and purify the planet's water. They also help move water from the soil to the atmosphere through a process called transpiration.		Ø Habitat: Of course, aside from humans' myriad uses, plants make up the backbone of all habitats. Other species of fish and wildlife also depend on plants for food and shelter.
	Ø Medicine: One-quarter of all prescription drugs come directly from or are derivatives of plants. Additionally, four out of five people around the world today rely on plants for primary health care.		Ø Climate: Plants store carbon, and have helped keep much of the carbon dioxide produced from the burning of fossil fuels out of the atmosphere.

HOW WE CAN PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT?

Everyone has some form of impact on their natural environment-- in an industrialized world, this is an unavoidable reality. However, the extent to which people negatively impact their environment can absolutely be mitigated through a number of means. Whether it's making large efforts or simple ones, there are many ways that everyone can do their part to help preserve the health of the environment. Everyone has some form of impact on their natural environment-- in an industrialized world, this is an unavoidable reality. However, the extent to which people negatively impact their environment can absolutely be mitigated through a number of means. Whether it's making large efforts or simple ones, there are many ways that everyone can do their part to help preserve the health of the environment. Everyone has some form of impact on their natural environment-- in an industrialized world, this is an unavoidable reality. However, the extent to which people negatively impact their environment can absolutely be mitigated through a number of means. Whether it's making large efforts or simple ones, there are many ways that everyone can do their part to help preserve the health of the environment.

·        Simple things to do at home

There is not one culprit that people can hold responsible as the singular cause of environmental destruction. While global climate change may be the environmental cause du jour, it is certainly not the only issue facing humankind. Much like there are numerous causes to environmental destruction, there are numerous things that everyone can do at home to help mitigate this damage. Changes don't have to be big, and many incremental changes can add up to a major shift.

Ø Light bulbs are an easy switch. Compact fluorescent bulbs last longer and use less energy than incandescent bulbs, so you will save money by using them.

Ø Many municipalities already offer good recycling programs. All glass, cans and paper should be recycled, along with as much plastic as possible.

Ø You may notice that cleaning products can be harsh on the eyes and nose. They can also be hard on the environment. For most household cleaning, you can use baking soda, white vinegar and Castile soap. You will save money and cut down on dangers for small children.

Ø Invest in a set of canvas bags. You can use these for a lot of shopping. Most people use them for groceries, but bring them along when buying books, toys or even clothes. If they are too bulky, there are many others that fold up and slip into small purses.

Ø Utilize greater for things like flushing the toilet and watering the garden. If you use natural soaps without harsh chemicals, the water from your bath or shower can be reused on your garden. Also, this water can be reused to flush your toilet. All you need to do is put a bucket in the shower with you to collect the water, then dump it down the toilet to flush.

Ø Use your electronics until they're completely dead and impossible to use. Consumer electronics create an immense amount of waste, and not only when it comes to the components piling up in landfills. Electronics use a number of minerals that are often mined in countries without proper environmental protection protocols. Buying fewer electronics will help you to drastically reduce your imprint on the environment.

Ø Use heavy curtains on your windows. Heavy curtains play a great dual purpose in your home when it comes to energy savings. Not only will they help keep sunlight and heat out of your home in the summer, but they also help retain heat during the winter. This way, you aren't using up as much energy to heat and cool your home.

Ø When possible, buy bamboo kitchen tools. Spatulas, spoons, and salad tosses are generally very easy to find in bamboo. Bamboo grows quickly and bamboo fields use very little space to yield a productive crop.

Ø Buy organic, shade-grown coffee. The coffee industry is one of the most destructive agricultural industries on the planet. Shade-grown coffee is coffee that has been grown in such a way as to create an agricultural ecosystem that promotes animal habitation in harmony with the growth of the coffee. This is much better than the pesticide-laden monocultures that most coffee plantations are.

Ø Buy second-hand clothing at thrift stores. The cotton industry is another industry that uses an obscene level of pesticides, and there is a lot of energy that goes into creating even a blank t-shirt.

·        Look for reductions

You've heard the phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" as one of the mantras for simple ways to save the environment. You might be surprised how easy this is to act on.

·        Reductions at Home

Ø Take shorter showers. Most people don't really realize how much water is used in every shower they take, and water conservation is quickly becoming one of the most important environmental issues facing humanity.

Ø Repair your clothes when they tear. The clothing industry is simply enormous, and a lot of people will buy a new pair of jeans every time they tear a little hole in the old ones. This is a massively wasteful process, and it can be easily mitigated by simply taking some time to repair your torn clothes.

Ø Unplug your appliances when you're not using them. Some people don't realize that their appliances pull electricity from the grid even when they're powered down. This is what's known as a "vampire draw," and it accounts of the yearly electrical usage in American homes.

Ø One of the most important things you can do is reduce. You probably send all the junk mail you receive straight into recycling, but if you visit machoice.org to opt out of receiving the mail at all, you'll be doing the planet and your postal carrier a big favor.

Ø Instead of using foil or plastic wrap to store leftovers, use reusable containers. Glass is your best option and it has the advantage of being microwaveable.

Ø Old clothes that are unsuitable for charity shops can be cut up into rags, so that you can stop using paper towels. They won't take up much more space in the washing machine.

·        Reductions at Work

Ø Try biking or riding the bus to work. Not only will this lessen the amount of greenhouse gasses you put into the atmosphere, but it will also end up saving you money.

Ø Research local incentives on green development and approach your boss with them. See if there is some sort of interest at your workplace in being more environmentally friendly.

Ø If you use a computer at your job, try upgrading it to more advanced components. LED screens use a fraction of the energy that the older monitors use, and you could also start unplugging your computer when you leave at night.

Ø Bring a lunch with you to work. This cuts down on the urge to go out to eat at a restaurant for lunch, which can lead to Styrofoam takeout boxes and many other types of waste.

·        Going a little further

 While there are hundreds of small ways to save the environment at home and at     work, you should consider making a slightly bigger impact by doing the following:

Ø Get involved with a local environmental non-profit. There is always a need for volunteers that are dedicated to the environment, and there are a lot of ways to engage a local non-profit with your unique skills.

Ø Start replacing your current appliances with Energy Star models. This can be a little pricey, but most states have some sort of incentive program to help citizens pay for these types of upgrades.

Ø Buy from local vendors and manufacturers. This is one of those things that, on the surface, seems like a very simple thing. However, it takes a lot of work these days to find locally manufactured goods, and they are often more expensive. After all, you can easily find a big box store on almost any corner in every major city, making them a very convenient way to get the things you need. When you buy from local stores, farmers, and manufacturers, you are eliminating the energy used to ship goods from one place to another, resulting in a very positive impact.

·        You can make a difference

Little things really do mean a lot, and the more eco-conscious you become in your daily life, the more you are doing to preserve the planet for the long haul. While it isn't always convenient or easy to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle, it is a way of life that will provide you with greater peace of mind.

WAYS TO HELP PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

A healthy environment is necessary for human and animal life to survive. Drinkable water, breathable air, and edible food are some of the resources that are necessary for life to continue. Yet at the same time, people cannot maintain a desirable standard of living without the consumption of natural resources, which causes damage to the environment. In addition, using natural resources reduces their availability, which can lead to shortages of building and manufacturing materials, food, and water. Human activity that is harmful to the environment can cause public health crises, render areas uninhabitable, and otherwise reduce standards of living on a societal or global scale. When people protect the environment, they are protecting themselves and their future as well.

    RECYCLING

When people use things like aluminum cans, glass bottles, or paper, they have two choices: throw them in the trash or recycle them. Throwing them in the trash means they will go into a landfill, which will ultimately mean more landfills. Landfills are toxic and thus dangerous to the environment. In addition, it means more natural resources will be needed to make more cans, paper, and bottles, and that will also contribute to air and water pollution. Recycling these objects means that their materials will be used again, reducing the need for cutting down trees or mining for materials to make cans. In addition, programs exist that pay people to recycle many of the things that they use, including aluminum cans, glass bottles, cell phones, and some types of scrap metal. People can also reuse other things, like using empty boxes to send things in the mail or empty plastic food containers for storing paperwork or tools. All of this reduces the need for making new landfills.

    COMPOSTING

Composting is the recycling of food waste into fertilizer for plants. It has many benefits for the environment, including reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. This is because it enriches the soil with a natural source of major plant nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous and other substances that plants need to grow. Some types of compost can remove contamination from soil, and all forms of compost serve to enrich soil to foster the growth of plants. Composting helps to fight pollution, and because it reduces the need to buy chemical fertilizers, it can also save money. Composting is not only economically beneficial for homeowners but also businesses.

    CONSERVING ENERGY

Energy production and use is one of the major causes of pollution and natural resource depletion by human beings. Conserving energy not only reduces the consumption of energy, and thus the need for energy production, but it also cuts down on air and water pollution by reducing the burning of fossil fuels. This not only serves to protect the environment, but it also saves energy users money by cutting down on their energy bills. There are many ways in which one can save energy daily and develop habits that conserve energy. For instance, carpooling to work saves gasoline and money by transporting several people in one vehicle and reducing the number of automobiles on the road. Using programmable thermostats at home is a good way to reduce the usage of electricity, as is air-drying dishes and turning off electronic equipment rather than letting it run on standby.

    WATER CONSERVATION

While 75 percent of the world’s surface is covered by water, only one percent of that is drinkable. Water pollution and waste reduces the amount of water that humans can use and can cause or exacerbate water shortages. Repairing leaky plumbing such as pipes or dripping faucets is one method of conservation that can save thousands of gallons of water annually. Dishwashers should only be run when they are full, as that will save more water than washing several smaller loads. Short showers, low-flow shower heads, and low-volume toilets will also reduce the usage of water at home.

    SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable living goes beyond individual acts of eco-friendliness such as recycling, energy and water conservation, or controlling pollution. It is all of the above, but more importantly, it’s the general principle that people should reduce or eliminate waste to achieve no net increase in the need for natural resources. Sustainable living is essential for preventing humans from exhausting Earth’s natural resources, including fertile and arable land, breathable air, and drinkable water. It is also important for space travel, where a hypothetical human-designed environment would likely be too small and fragile to tolerate waste or pollution. Sustainability is the merging of all eco-friendly methods into a general lifestyle in which excess or unnecessary waste and increased resource consumption are things of the past.

OTHER WAYS TO GO GREEN

There are a large number of additional ways that one can act to protect the environment. One example involves using cleaning techniques that are friendly to the environment, such as vinegar to clean floors and baking soda and Castile soap to clean toilets. Running laptops on their battery and charging them when their charge is low uses less electricity than keeping the laptop constantly plugged in, and installing solar panels can actually generate electricity for a home without using fossil fuels. Community tree-planting programs can help clean the air as well as provide shade and eliminate heat islands, which are zones within a city where the sun’s light and heat cause the ground to heat up excessively. Trees can also eliminate certain types of environmental contaminants. Electric cars and other vehicles that run on alternative energy can help to eliminate smog and greenhouse gases, and painting roofs a lighter color can save energy and money by keeping a home cool during the summer. Consumers can also choose to purchase goods that are made in a more eco-friendly manner, such as buying products made of recycled materials.

QUICK TIPS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT!!!

Here are few quick tips to help protect our environment:

v Clean Air

Ø  Painting your house? Use a latex paint. Oil-based paints release hydrocarbon fumes.

Ø  Get a tune-up. Properly maintained vehicles get better gas mileage and emit fewer pollutants.

Ø  Don’t top off your gas tank. Overfilling causes spills that release hydrocarbons and other toxic chemicals into the air.

Ø  Conserve energy. You’ll lower your utility bills and help avoid peak demands on utility plants.

Ø  Don’t burn your yard waste. It’s illegal in many areas of Ohio because burning yard waste releases mold spores, soot, and other contaminants that can aggravate allergies and cause respiratory problems.

Ø  Plant a tree. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

Ø  Park the car. Walk, bike or use mass-transit whenever you can. Vehicle traffic is a major contributor to smog.

v Clean Water

Ø  Use less fertilizer on your lawn. When it rains, excess fertilizer runs off into storm sewers and pollutes streams.

Ø  Never pour anything – especially waste oil or leftover lawn chemicals – into a storm drain. It will end up in the nearest stream.

Ø  Don’t trash our streams. Volunteer groups sponsoring annual cleanups find everything from old tires to old appliances in our waterways.

Ø  Water your lawn in the early morning, when the water will soak in and not evaporate in the heat of the day.

Ø  Don’t water more than once a week, and then only if it hasn't rained. Established lawns need only one inch of water a week.

Ø  Don’t water the sidewalk - it won’t grow. Set your sprinkler to keep the water on the lawn.

Ø  Mulch around your landscaping. A three-inch layer of mulch holds moisture and prevents evaporation, reducing the need to water.

Ø  Use a bucket when you wash the car, instead of the hose. Letting the water run while you work costs money and wastes water. Only use the hose to rinse.

Ø  Sweep your driveway and sidewalk instead of cleaning them up by spraying with the hose.

Ø  Don’t do the dishes until you have a full load. Your dishwasher uses 12 gallons of water whether it’s full or half-empty.

Ø  Wash a full load of laundry. Your washing machine uses 40 gallons of water. Run it full, or adjust the water level to the size of your load.

Ø  Don’t let the water run while you shave or brush your teeth. Turn it on only when you need it. Every minute the faucet runs, five gallons of water go down the drain.

Ø  Take a shorter shower. And switch to a low-flow shower head.

Ø  Repair leaky faucets and toilets. You can tell if the toilet leaks by putting food coloring in the tank. If color shows up in the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak.

Ø  Install faucet aerators. You can cut your water usage by up to six percent.

v Clean Land

Ø  Recycle. If your community does not offer a recycling program, ask local officials to start one.

Ø  Don’t put hazardous materials in the trash. Save paints, pesticides, lawn chemicals, car batteries, waste oil and similar materials for your local household hazardous waste collection day

Ø  Turn in your mercury thermometer and replace it with a digital one. Mercury is a persistent pollutant that moves up the food chain and can cause serious health problems. Never vacuum spilled mercury. If you have mercury in your home, call Ohio EPA (614-644-3469) to find out how to get rid of it safely.

Ø  Don’t buy more than you need. When it comes to lawn chemicals, pesticides, paints and other hazardous materials, buy a smaller package so you won’t have leftovers to dispose of.

Ø  Paper or plastic? Better yet, take a canvas bag to the grocery and re-use it each time you shop.

Ø  Use both sides of the paper. Set your copier to make double-sided copies and you’ll substantially reduce your paper use.

Ø  Use rechargeable batteries. Many batteries contain metals that are better kept out of landfills.

Ø  Give it away, don’t throw it away. Many charitable organizations accept donations of wearable clothing and gently used household items.