April 22, 2008 - Hey, girls. Wondering how you can make a difference? Here are 10 easy things you can do to help the planet, whether it’s Earth Day or not.
1. Carpool or use public transportation for a day (or a week or a month) and try walking, skateboarding or biking instead of using a car. Next time you have an away game, catch a ride with a friend or pick up a few of your teammates on the way.
2. Turn off the lights, the computer and the television when not in use. Spend a day outdoors instead of sitting at home playing video games, surfing the net and watching tv.
3. Try eating vegetarian at least one day a week. A meat-based diet requires seven times more land than a plant-based diet. Livestock production is responsible for more climate change gasses than all the motor vehicles in the world.
4. Choose foods produced organically, locally and in season. Support regional farmers: buying locally and in season is better for the environment than buying foods that have been shipped hundreds of miles to your local market. Stop using plastic bags.
5. Donate your old sports equipment or resell it instead of throwing it away in the trash. Also recycle old cell phones and digital cameras for charity.
6. Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth. Shower faster to conserve water. I know we all like to take long and hot showers (especially after games), but it is very wasteful. Try to shower in under five minutes.
7. Recycle Your Shoes - Nike has a program where you can give your shoes to any Nike store or mail them to the company’s recycling center. The materials are used to make surfaces for tennis courts, basketball courts, running tracks and playgrounds.
8. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). A CFL uses only 25% as much energy as an incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer.
9. As athletes, you know how much water and Gatorade you consume so try to take your own water to practice in a resuable bottle. If your drinks come in an aluminum can or plastic bottle make sure to recycle them.
10. Start using a water filter instead of buying cases of water. Bottled water uses precious natural resources for packaging and transporting.
Bonus tip: If you or someone you know golfs, get biodegradable tees instead of plastic ones.
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