{"id":65968,"date":"2022-04-20T11:36:31","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T18:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=65968"},"modified":"2022-04-22T13:50:01","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T20:50:01","slug":"10-ways-to-celebrate-mother-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/10-ways-to-celebrate-mother-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"10 ways to celebrate Mother Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.\u201d Though the origins of this quote are unknown, its significance is paramount\u2014especially as we celebrate Earth Day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a time to recognize and appreciate the beauty of our natural world and all it has given to sustain humanity\u2014but it is also a time to reflect on the indubitable impacts we have on the future of the planet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NAU has the opportunity to set an example of what a sustainable community can look like by being mindful participants in the fight for climate action.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some ways you can have a more positive impact on Earth:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Recycle better<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of us might be \u201cwishful\u201d recyclers\u2014throwing items into recycle bins that we assume\u00a0 are recyclable, when in actuality, putting that particular item (looking at you, Styrofoam) in the recycling bin can contaminate the entire load, sending tons of actually recyclable material to landfills.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That pizza box with all the oil seeping through the bottom? Contaminated. Laundry detergent bottles with just a little bit of soap at the bottom? Also contaminated.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recycling rules are constantly changing due to changes in technology and cost, making it important to stay up to date with the recycling rules in your area.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, in Flagstaff you can recycle <\/span>clean<\/span> metal cans and pans, flattened paper and cardboard and clean plastic jugs and bottles, but you can\u2019t recycle glass or plastic bags (even if they say \u2018recyclable\u2019 or have the chasing arrow symbol) in the generic recycling bin. Confusing, right?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Check out the <\/span>Flagstaff recycling guide<\/span><\/a> for more information. There is even a quiz to see how much you know about Flagstaff\u2019s recycling rules \u2013your results might surprise you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eat plant-based<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I am not telling you to go vegan forever (though <\/span>NAU Communications\u2019 <\/span><\/i>Carly Banks <\/span><\/i><\/b>has some <\/span><\/i>excellent vegan recipes<\/span><\/i><\/a>),<\/span><\/i> but even just one meatless meal a week can make a difference. For example, <\/span>EarthDay.org <\/span><\/i>says eating one less burger a week over the course of a year would be the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 320 miles!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There also are health benefits to focusing on a meatless meal once a week because it encourages more consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For more plant-based meals, check out the <\/span>crowd-sourced cookbook from Green NAU<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use a menstrual cup<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A sustainable alternative to pads and tampons, menstrual cups also are more cost-effective. In a lifetime, people who menstruate will spend about $18,000 on sanitary products\u2014roughly $20 a month. A menstrual cup can cost between $25 and $40 and can last for up to 10 years with proper care. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NAU Health Promotion has a limited number of free menstrual cups available to students until they run out. Stop by Health Promotion in the Health and Learning Center to pick one up!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use reusable containers<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should be using a reusable water bottle (and if you aren\u2019t, what are you even doing?!), but there are other sustainable ways to reduce single-use plastics, like using reusable cups for coffee\/smoothies\/soda and your own silverware and reusable containers for takeout and potlucks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NAU Campus Dining and the Green Fund partnered to offer Lumberjacks the opportunity to purchase a reusable food container for a one-time buy-in fee of $5. Students can use these containers are campus dining locations across campus and return the container to one of the stations to be cleaned and get a token to use for their next meal. Best part? No dirty dishes!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Repurposing single-use to be multi-use<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yogurt containers are great options for storing food, as is your curry takeout bowl. And, instead of buying designated poop bags, plastic grocery bags can be used to pick up after your dog. Avoiding single-use plastic is near<\/span>–<\/span> impossible, so reusing them when possible is a great way to expand the lifetime of the product. This is also true of other single-use products that may be made with a different material. Just because it isn\u2019t plastic, doesn\u2019t mean it doesn\u2019t come with an environmental cost.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Options for reusing:\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n