More than any other month of the Cool Campaign, April gives us pause and makes us think. From 1950 to 2000, Americans consumed as much food and material goods as all the generations of Americans before them. If everyone in the world lived the way the average American does, we would need four more planet Earths to provide all the necessary materials and energy. We know that we should explore new ways to reduce our consumption habits; so why do we consume so much?
For an entertaining look at why our culture has become so deeply consumer-oriented, take a look at the Story of Stuff video, at right. Pull up a few chairs and invite your family to join you (running time is approximately 20 minutes). It's guaranteed to spark an interesting discussion!
April Challenges
The theme of this month's challenges is to reduce the CO2 emissions related to the things we buy and use. Here are some powerful things you can do:
Buy Locally Produced Food
The average meal travels 1,200 miles by truck, ship, and/or plane to reach your dining room table. All that transportation emits CO2 into the environment, that can be reduced by buying food produced closer to home. Read more .....
Buy Organic Food
Organic food isn't just better for you, organic farming preserves the millions of microorganisms that live in the soil and naturally keep it rich year after year. Chemical pesticides used to kill off "bad" pests, also kill these vital microorganisms which results in a massive release of CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Read more ....
Eat Less Meat
It turns out that the average American does more to reduce global warming emissions by going vegetarian than by switching to a Prius. Read more ....
Reduce
The typical American creates 4.6 pounds of garbage per day, or 1,700 pounds of garbage per year--that's double what it was thirty years ago. Read more ....
Reuse
From 1950 to 2000, Americans consumed as much food and material goods as all the generations of Americans before them. Read more ....
Recycle
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Americans will buy, use and throw away 1,245 tons of raw materials. Read more ....
Compost
Over two-thirds of the total waste produced in the United States is compostable, yet we still send 30 million tons of leaves and grass clippings to landfills every year. Read more ....
Buy Less
For many Americans, shopping is a form of recreation. But one withgreat cost if its for stuff we don't need, wastes precious resources and generates CO2 to produce, transport, and dispose of. Read more .....