SCOPE

Many people have concerns about the environment and the future of the planet. The problems and issues we are facing can seem daunting and overwhelming and at times, it is easy for a single person to feel as though they can’t have any real effect on change, and that anything they do as an individual won’t make much of a difference. In reality, people make decisions and take actions every single day that do have an impact on the planet, and by changing some habits and making informed choices, the individual can certainly have on affect on the health of the planet, as well as on their own health and that of their family.

I choose resources with information on simple things that people can do in their daily lives that are inexpensive, don’t take a lot of time, and don’t require a huge commitment, and yet will have a positive impact on the earth. Often times people are not aware of the effects small decisions that they make as consumers can have. Not everyone can afford to buy a hybrid car. But buying energy efficient light bulbs, toilet paper made from recycled paper, cleaning products free of harsh chemicals and toxins, these are all simple choices that any person can make if they are informed. A small tip on changing small daily habits, such as “Unplug your cell phone charger when not in use to save electricity” will have minute impact on energy use globally, but could result in a noticeable difference in your electricity bill.

I also wanted to choose resources that draw attention to the fact that many times products that are safe for the health of the planet are also safer for the consumer’s personal health. Many people are not of which products they have in their home may be having harmful effect on their own health. For example, many people believe that drinking water out of plastic bottles and containers can lead to certain health risks because of chemicals in the plastic and off-gassing. The choice to drink out of glass containers can both reduce the health risk to the individual, and also reduce the amount of plastic bottles that are used.

These resources draw attention to the great power that consumers who spend billions of dollars a year have. By making the decision to purchase products that are eco-friendly, and by supporting companies that are making green choices about the products they produce and how they produce them, consumers can have a powerful effect on the future health of the planet.

RESOURCES

#1 The Green Guide
Author/Publisher: The Green Guide, National Geographic
URL: www.thegreenguide.com


#2 Simple Steps
Author/Publisher: The National Resources Defense Council
URL: www.simplesteps.org


#3 The Alternative Consumer
Author/Publisher: Multiple contributing authors
URL: www.alternativeconsumer.com/


#4 Yahoo! Green
Author/Publisher: Yahoo! Inc.
URL: http://green.yahoo.com/


#5 NRDC's Green Living Toolkit
Author/Publisher: National Resources Defense Council
URL: www.nrdc.org/greenliving/toolkit.asp


#6 The Green Life
Author/Publisher: The Sierra Club
URL: http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/