To celebrate 2010 International Year of Biodiversity and World Environment Day on 5 June 2010, take a moment to think about “How can I make a difference to biodiversity”.
This year’s theme is “Many Species. One Planet. One Future”
There’s no doubt it comes down to making informed choices, embracing change and thinking about more than just ourselves and the latest must-have. We invite you step off the treadmill – for just a minute – and try a slightly different perspective on life for World Environment Day.
Here’s a list of ideas and actions that could easily have a positive impact on worldwide and Australian biodiversity. Choose just one, or two, or all – it’s up to you, but we implore you to make a commitment, however small, and make it a celebration.
10 Ideas with Actions – that will help biodiversity:
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Encourage environmental variety
Choose non GM foods and products – scientists have proven that biological diversity stabilises ecosystems. Choose local, seasonal food. Volunteer to collect seeds for native seed banks. -
Prevent toxic run-off and the build up of harmful chemicals
Choose organic products – food, clothing, everything. Send a message to producers and manufacturers that more thought and care needs to be taken and profit is not the only outcome that matters. Organic products are also better for your body! -
Prevent plastics getting into the water – fresh or salt
Refuse plastic bags, choose products with less packaging, STOP buying water in bottles, request milk in glass bottles (eventually they’ll hear us), become a recycling zealot. -
Take up bird watching
Record what you see, biodiversity researchers are trolling the internet and using the data from “citizen scientists” to help study endangered species. -
Plant a variety of native flowering plants
Encourage the bees, provide nature corridors, encourage local birds and wildlife. -
Stop polluting the air
Drive less, take public transport, go for a walk or bike ride – preferably out in nature – getting outdoors to nature has been shown to have incredible psychological benefits! Enjoy it! -
Reduce waste
Take your own mug with you to the coffee shop – stop accepting disposable containers, start your own compost or take your compostable waste to a community garden. -
Stop believing the hype
“Turning longing into belonging” should not be the accepted normal state – wake up to advertising. Do you REALLY need it? Reduce your consumption – it will in turn reduce our use of limited and non-renewable resources and stop trees being felled, forests being destroyed, mountains being decapitated… -
Stop global ‘homogenisation’
Choose local (and handmade) products, support local artists, choose independents rather than chains, reward variety and variation instead of “demanding” uniform and mass-produced. -
Get involved
Join GetUp! and volunteer to take part in some action – you will immediately feel the benefit – a sense of power and control over your (our) future. Or join WWF or 350.org or ACF or… the list goes on!
Find a cause you like and join – connect!
“Modern agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food” ... A. A. Bartlett
“...no matter how complex or affluent, human societies are nothing but subsystems of the biosphere, the Earth's thin veneer of life,which is ultimately run by bacteria, fungi and green plants.” ... Vaclav Smil
“If it is peace of mind and comfort you want then believe, however, if you are devoted to truth then inquire” ... Friedrich W. Nietzsche
Life should be fun and life should be enjoyable, but it should also NOT be limiting – to others or the planet. Make a difference…get involved.
Tell someone - feel free to copy and republish this list, as long as you give credit for it and include a link to Green Times.
Written by Suze Chalmers
Image credit: Dan McKay via Flickr Creative Commons
