Recently, I found two articles about environmental protection in the "Catch Shrimp" blog of trainer Xie Qinli, titled "Environmental Protection at Hand", which I found very practical. Here, I will quote its key parts for everyone to refer to. I have also summarized some points and compiled the master's suggestions for readers to refer to.
There are reports that if the whole world consumes in the way Americans do, it would take five more earths to sustain; if in the way of the British and French, three earths; if in the way of the Japanese, God would need to create two more earths.
In order for our descendants to still have an earth to use, environmental protection is urgent. Here, I would like to share with you all some of the environmental protection methods I use:
1. Use energy-saving light bulbs for all lighting;
2. Turn off the lights when no one is in the room;
3. Place a plastic basin under the showerhead to collect water for flushing the toilet;
4. Arrange for family and friends to go to the bathroom together to save water and enhance feelings. Each flush of the toilet consumes at least 6 liters of tap water, enough for a family in the northwest rural area to use for a day;
5. When dining out, order dishes according to the principle of "number of people +1" to reduce waste, and take leftovers home if unable to finish;
6. Take good care of your mobile phone, appliances, clothes, and shoes to reduce the frequency of replacement;
7. Do not buy private cars, wait until solar-powered ones are available. Use bicycles for short distances and buses for long distances;
8. Use rechargeable batteries;
9. After reading newspapers and magazines, give them to friends instead of selling them directly;
10. Bring your own bags when shopping, avoid using plastic bags;
11. Exercise regularly to stay healthy and control weight to reduce fuel consumption when flying or driving;
12. When turning off appliances, remember to turn off the main switch of the power strip as well;
13. Keep the items in the refrigerator and trunk as few as possible;
14. Wear short-sleeved clothes when going out in summer, sleep with thin blankets, and minimize the use of air conditioning, keeping it no lower than 26 degrees Celsius;
... ...
Thank you all, these are what I can think of temporarily, and indeed what I practice in my daily life. I know some methods may sound funny, but they work pretty well. Today, in China, many problems remain unresolved and cannot be solved immediately, ranging from resisting a foreign merchant or brand to political education, medical insurance, pensions, and safety. However, there are two things we don't need to argue about, which can be done around us and yield immediate results: one is environmental protection; the other is charity.
I read "Southern Metropolis Weekly" and summarized a few more pieces of "intelligence" on the topic of environmental protection for your reference in daily life:
1. One million smokers emit as much carbon monoxide as 1,000 cars;
2. Our country produces 2 million tons of laundry detergent annually, and 1 gram of phosphorus can cause algae to grow by 100 grams. Use appropriate amounts of detergent when washing clothes;
3. Currently, our country produces 80 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks annually, consuming nearly 3 million cubic meters of wood = cutting down 50 million trees = disappearing forest area of 4 million square meters. Bring your own cutlery for meals!;
4. According to data from the China Energy-Saving Product Certification Center, an ordinary household in China consumes nearly 60 yuan worth of electricity due to standby mode annually × China's existing 348.37 million households = 20.9 billion yuan. Turn off the power strip when not in use;
5. Annual consumption of 10 million tons of bottled water, just packaging this water in plastic consumes 900,000 barrels of oil annually. Reuse bottled water bottles;
6. Use only one towel in hotels if possible;
7. Minimize the use of disposable items such as razors and lighters. Buy quality products and use them carefully;
8. The U.S. Federal "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" stated that in the 1990s, the average American gained 4.54 kilograms, causing the aviation industry to burn 350 million gallons of extra fuel and emit 3.8 million tons of extra carbon dioxide.
Our goal is simple: "For our children, to have an earth to use!"
The above is the summary of the master, and here are a few additional points from the author:
1. Nowadays, quite a number of people already own private cars. It is recommended to use unleaded gasoline. Cars using leaded gasoline will emit lead through exhaust fumes. These lead particles enter the human body through respiration, harming the nervous system and accumulating in bones, causing great harm to the human body.
2. Cherish paper, which means cherishing forests and rivers. Try to use as little or no paper as possible.
3. Buy eco-friendly batteries to prevent mercury and cadmium pollution.
4. Exchange and donate excess items. Many families have entered a moderately prosperous life, inevitably having idle items. Sorting them out and donating them to those in need allows resources to be better utilized.
Environmental protection at hand, you and I can both achieve.