I received this comment on my oil covered birds post,
Our class has been watching this video as well as the news every day. We are sad that the birds are covered with oil and they are stuck on the beach. What can we do to help? PLEASE WRITE US BACK…LOVE, ROOM 110
I don’t know what you can actually physically do to help room 110, as I am Australian and thousands of miles away from this disaster. I am sure there are plenty of practical things you can do that don’t involve picking up oily and distressed sea creatures though.
You could choose a wildlife organisation and ring them up and see what they need. I do know that volunteer rescue organisations are always chronically short of money so maybe you could organise a fundraiser, a raffle, something like that and then donate the money to an organisation of your choice.
Here in Tasmania a few years ago the community got together and knitted woolly jumpers for the penguins to wear as part of an oil spill response pack. ( a jumper is a sweater)
Here is a web page with a list of organisations you can contact
I assume that The American Red cross would know how you can help and I am sure that The ASPCA would be another good organisationto get in touch with.
Now as for what you can do in the longer term, that requires a bit of a think. Have a look around your home and really look at everything that you have. The ice cubes in your refrigerator, the throw away plastic bottle in your rubbish bin, all your gadgets, the family car and the clean clothes that you are wearing today.
Everything that enables you to have a comfortable life takes energy.
We are all responsible for this oil spill.
We all need to change our habits.
Reduce your consumption, it is as simple as that. Dry your clothes outside on the washing line rather than in a dryer. Put a sweater on when you are cold rather than turning the heater up.Turn the lights off that you aren’t using. Unplug your mobile phone charger from the wall when you aren’t using it. Dont leave the television on standby. Turn off the microwave when you aren’t using it. Think about that next trip in the car, is it necessary?
Look at how many green or red or blue little lights are on in your house while you are sleeping of a night. Do all those electrical items really need to be sitting there all night silently, sucking power just to save us a few seconds time when we want to use them.
Don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth in the mornings. Put the plug in the sink when you peel potatoes. Choose environmentally friendly products and ask for organic produce. I am sure you can all think of a zillion more things to do to reduce your own consumption.
Saying NO to plastic is a really good thing to do.
Small things. They are all small things but from little things big things grow.
One person does have the power to change the world.
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Somewhere between the late 1700s and now, man has become more and more greedy. We want every comfort, but we don’t wish to consider how we get those extras. The costs to our environment, to animals, to other people are so easily ignored when they are out of sight. Industrialization has cost our environment and countles beings have suffered.
Each person needs to decide what they accept and what they will allow to be compromised for their short term comfort. Every time we use a car, turn on a light or buy mass produced items, we are complicit in destruction of natural resources and expolitation of les fortunate people who laboured to make it. It’s all a matter of how much personal responsibility we wish to take and when we decide to become a conscientious objector. Don’t think you can’t do anything to change the situation. One person’s choice to NOT follow the crowd makes every person who knows them think a little harder about their own choices. Nice post Kim.
Well said Kim. Hope Room 110 find a way to help out. Every little thing adds up and does make a difference.
And ditto what Watershedd says.
I’m trying my best to ‘green up’ our lifestyle. I’m not always successful but I try.
This is a good and practical response to what seems overwhelming to many who care. I just turned off the heater. It was the first time I’d put it on this winter, too. What was I thinking? Off to get my usual warm-up gear – an old cashmere scarf and scruffy uggs.
Going all cliche here…from little things, big things grow. Very true!
I love my comfort, but I’m tryimg to reduce my consumption. I recently gave up my electric blanket in favour of a hot water bottle and thicker pyjamas.
Great post! Although I hated the idea of a coin meter for my electricity (and it’s a bit of an issue for bendy hands) actually I love it, everyone should have one. Because you’re paying for your power consumption in a more immediate way it makes you very aware of turning things off/what uses what power. Something about the physical act of putting coins into the meter makes the association with cost far more effective than any digital device could ever do. BG Xx
I fully agree with you frogpondsrock. And I totally agree with Bendy Girl about us needing to have coins to put into a meter for electricity! But what if we don’t have the money at the time? Maybe a credit card swipe device, etc.
It is unbelievable how some people still turn their taps on when brushing teeth, even when they KNOW they are wasting water
Good Job!