Can’t fix Environmental Crises myself, but I can do my part…

While I am just one person, if others make a conscious effort to change little things, we can do BIG THINGS to stave off the destructive path we face as the Earth heats up. It’s all about the numbers. When one person does something: no change. When millions of individual people do something: we save our lifestyles – and our lives.

Here are 10 things that I pledge to do starting today:
#1: Reduce my driving by 50%
I will plan my outings and do them all on one day per week.

#2: Eliminate buying single-use plastic bottles, straws, and take-out containers.
I will buy beverages sold in glass bottles only, or use my reusable glass bottles. I’ll use my reusable metal straws. I’ll use my glass containers for doggie bags and insist that restaurants use my containers for take-out orders.

#3: Reduce the number of truck deliveries to my house each week.
I will select Friday deliveries from Amazon to reduce both packaging and fuel emissions.

#4: Stop using clean, drinking water to flush my toilet.
I will use water captured from my showers and baths to flush my toilet in my home.

#5: Use 50% less drinking water to irrigate my fruit orchard and 6 gardens.
I will use water captured from my rooftop and stored in a 5000-gal tank and 18 IBC tanks (275 gal each).

#6: Discourage people and corporations from clear cutting forests to provide grazing for cattle.
I will not eat meat or dairy products 6 days per week.

#7: Ban purchases of non-organic food to stop Monsanto from poisoning us with Roundup and GMOs.
I will grow my veggies and fruit using aquaponics, hydroponics, greenhouse, and permaculture systems. For veggies and fruit I can’t grow, I’ll get them at our local farmer’s market or from Imperfect Foods.

#8: Petition and fight oil and gas companies from fracking and drilling for methane (natural gas) and petroleum (gasoline).
I plan to install more solar panels (we have 64 now) and purchase only electric or hydrogen fuel cell cars in the future (have one Tesla now, and have my eyes on the Toyota Murai hydrogen fuel cell car).

#9. Use LED light bulbs for 100% of my lighting.
I will only purchase LED bulbs and replace all existing incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.

#10. Educate and encourage teens to proactively change their lifestyles to promote a future where it’s safe to raise families.
I will guide students as they do projects that highlight problems covered up by corporations and give the teens a platform to reach large audiences through TEDxMeritAcademy.