| The majority of the scientific community agrees. Man | | | | Surround yourself with houseplants. Every balcony |
| is adversely affecting the environment and | | | | can have flowerboxes filled with beautiful |
| accelerating global warming. Greenhouse gases | | | | oxygen-producing blooms. Apartments with flat roofs |
| created by our modern lifestyles are blanketing the | | | | can have rooftop gardens. Business people can fill |
| Earth in a warming cocoon and causing an ugly | | | | office buildings and retail establishments with live |
| metamorphosis - a planet riddled with severe | | | | trees, hanging plant baskets, and exotic flowers. |
| weather, animal species extinctions, and an | | | | Even people with a 'brown thumb' can find |
| inhospitable environment for future generations. | | | | easy-to-grow plants like philodendrons, cacti, spider |
| Governments and industries are not reacting quickly. | | | | plants, ivies, and African violets. |
| In our lifetime, the world as we know it may no | | | | Reduce the impact of your trash. |
| longer exist. It is up to everyone to start making | | | | Most landfills produce huge amounts of methane. |
| changes NOW, working together towards a common | | | | Garbage produces methane gas when it decays in an |
| goal: the preservation of this glorious, beautiful world | | | | anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. Most landfills |
| in which we live. | | | | crush garbage and place it into a plastic-lined pit, then |
| Quit overstuffing yourself at the table. | | | | layer the trash with dirt and more garbage. |
| Huh? That is a strange statement! How can your | | | | You can help prevent landfill methane production by |
| eating habits have an effect on greenhouse gases? | | | | composting as much as possible. Just about anything |
| There are a growing number of overweight and | | | | organic is compostable - potato peelings, coffee |
| obese people in the so-called affluent countries. Have | | | | grounds, unsalted pasta water, moldy baked goods, |
| you ever considered where all those hamburgers, hot | | | | etc. Avoid large items like whole potatoes and |
| dogs, and chicken nuggets come from? Producers | | | | corncobs. You should chop them into smaller pieces |
| use prime agricultural land to cultivate grass and grain | | | | before adding them to your compost bin. Avoid |
| crops for feeding animals in the human food chain. | | | | meat, oily or fatty substances, or anything prepared |
| A single cow needs about five acres of pasture in | | | | with appreciable amounts of salt. |
| order to thrive. During its lifetime, a cow can create | | | | Add finished compost to your houseplants and |
| truckloads of manure - manure that creates a | | | | garden, or use it for lawn top-dressing to create |
| considerable amount of methane (a greenhouse gas). | | | | lusciously healthy growth. You can purchase a |
| The agricultural land required to raise one cow would | | | | commercial compost bin at your local department, |
| feed humans more efficiently when devoted to | | | | hardware, or garden supply store. Alternatively, |
| crops like wheat and soybeans. | | | | search the Internet for 'plans compost bin |
| The meat we consume goes through several | | | | construction' if you would like to try building a bin |
| processing stages using a variety of materials - | | | | from scratch. |
| including paper, plastic, Styrofoam, and cardboard. | | | | You can add many unusual items to your compost: |
| Transportation to the slaughterhouse, processing | | | | 100% cotton clothing (no buttons or zippers) |
| plant, retail store, and then to the kitchen burns up | | | | 100% wool sweaters or socksbrown paper |
| energy and creates toxic greenhouse emissions. | | | | bagsburnt toast, cakes, potatoescorked or soured |
| All that extra food ultimately creates methane gas | | | | winecrushed eggshellsdryer lintfeathers and furhair |
| when it ends up in the sewer. In addition, each extra | | | | clippingsjunk mail (no plastic or metal)leather goods |
| pound of fat on the body requires more oxygen to | | | | (metal and plastic pieces removed)pasta, cooked or |
| maintain, depleting a resource that plant life must | | | | uncooked (without the sauce)shells from almonds, |
| replenish. | | | | peanuts, and walnutsshredded papersmall pieces of |
| Give back some of the oxygen you breathe! | | | | cardboardsmall quantities of expired dairy productstea |
| Plant life consumes carbon dioxide (a greenhouse | | | | bags and coffee filterstoenail and fingernail |
| gas) and produces life-giving oxygen. However, man | | | | clippingsvacuum cleaner bags and contentswooden |
| clears forests and prime agricultural land to erect | | | | skewers (broken into small pieces)wooden toothpicks |
| ever-higher skyscrapers. If we were to spend more | | | | You can locate a more comprehensive list if you |
| time building down into the ground instead of up into | | | | search the Net for 'things to add to compost'. |
| the air or sprawling into the countryside, we would | | | | These tips are just a start. Keep watching for further |
| leave more surface area for agriculture and nature. | | | | informational articles in the days to come. |
| Until architects embrace this concept, we can help | | | | (c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to |
| replenish a bit of the Earth's oxygen by filling our lives | | | | publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the |
| with greenery. | | | | author's note below (with active links) are included. |