Discover seven simple ways to help in environmental protection. With small gestures, if repeated daily by everyone, it will help make a major ecological difference.

1. Environmental protection; by buying locally

What you put on your plate can have a huge impact on the environment. Foods that aren't locally grown or made must travel thousands of miles to reach your neighborhood grocery store. Their transport over long distances results in the unnecessary use of fuels. For an Earth Day approach, buy seasonal and organic foods from local producers. Not only will the food be fresher, tastier, and more nutritious, but you will protect the environment from further pollution.

2. Environmental protection; by limiting your purchases of electronic products

If we really want to take action on CO2 emissions, there's nothing like this gesture, or choosing our devices according to their performance and energy efficiency. Electronic products represent about 62% of greenhouse gas emissions due to our consumption patterns.Why? For example, to produce a two-gram microchip, it takes 1.7 kg of fossil fuel, one m3 of nitrogen, 72 grams of chemicals, and 32 liters of water. By comparison, it takes 1.5 tons of fossil fuel to build a car of 750 kg, only twice its weight.For an aluminum can, it is 4 to 5 times its weight. For a microchip, that's over 600 times its weight.

3. Environmental protection; by reducing water consumption and waste

Did you know that 5500 liters of water are wasted a year on leaky faucets? Reports said that by fixing your leaky faucets, you can make a huge difference in your water use. Turning off the taps while brushing your teeth will also conserve water. The faucet you leave on while brushing your teeth wastes an average of 6 liters of water per minute! Want to take water conservation even further? Install a high-efficiency toilet and shower head in your bathroom, then prefer short showers rather than long baths.

4. Environmental protection; by reducing the use of toxic products

Today, many chemicals are still very harmful to people, animals, and plants. Preserving the environment, therefore, also involves eliminating or at least reducing the use of these elements. As simple but effective actions, you should:

  • Read the labels of the products carefully to avoid those that have too many chemicals;
  • Clean your house with natural products like vinegar and baking soda or non-toxic products on the market;
  • Avoid throwing away your electronic devices (cell phones, computers, washing machines, etc.) and accessories (batteries, propane tanks, batteries, etc.).

Related: What are the environmental issues and their possible solutions?

5. Environmental protection; by adopting an organic and ecological diet

To protect the environment and participate in the fight for the survival of plant species, you must also control your diet. For example, you should focus on foods such as seasonal fruits and vegetables, which cannot be grown in a heated greenhouse. This makes it possible, particularly by reducing the energy used for their production and reducing the agriculture impact on the climate. Here are some important prescriptions:

  • For your daily meals, choose foods from organic farming (foods certified with an organic farming label, for example) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
  • Consume local products more often in order to reduce the number of intermediaries (especially polluting transport) and help strengthen the economic vitality of regions;
  • Eat less meat, eggs and dairy products, as cattle ranching is a major contributor to the destruction of the planet’s forests, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions;
  • Limit your consumption of palm oil: found in many food products (cookies, chocolate, candies, ice cream, sauce, margarine, etc.), and its cultivation remains a major cause of deforestation.

6. Environmental protection; by adopting ecological means of transport

Cars and various motor vehicles play a significant role in environmental pollution and the destruction of nature. In the struggle for their safeguard, you must, therefore, use these means with more restrictions. So, here are some interesting ideas:

  • Prefer trains to travel long distances;
  • In the city, favor walking to limit the use of the car;
  • Opt for cycling to not only save money but also take care of your health;
  • Often share a vehicle with a family member or colleague rather than using yours every day;
  • Bet on public transport (bus, train, metro, etc.) to pollute the environment less.

7. Environmental protection; by donating to avoid polluting and overloading landfills

One of the easy and helpful ways for environmental protection every day is to give items that you don't like or use regularly. Put a bag or box in your closet for clothes you never wear. Once the box is full, you are ready for donation. All clothing, including underwear, stockings, and hats, will be accepted for local non-profit organizations. Make sure all donated clothing is clean, dry, and in good condition (that is, no holes, tears, stains, broken zippers, or missing buttons).You can also donate some electrical appliances (toasters, radios, CD or DVD players, lamps, LCD or plasma flat screen televisions), exercise and sports equipment (skis, bikes, golf clubs), kitchen items (pots, pans, dishes, vases, cutlery, glasses, silverware) and small furniture (tables, chairs, shelves, chests of drawers.

Originally published on Live Positively.