What can a 15 year old do to 'go green'?

Question

I would love to help the environment.
AND ANIMALS. I'm vegetarian.

I have nothing to do this summer, so anything useful I can do?

:)

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u107/sabrinalynnx3/earth.jpg

Answer 1

First of all... Good for you! With that said here are a few ideas to get you started... Instead of asking parents for a ride to a friend's house or the mall, movies, etc., ride your bike. There's no fuel consumption, no emissions, less money out of your parent's wallets to refuel the car. Ask your friends to do the same. You can also ask your parents to switch from regular light bulbs to CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) in at least 3 of your lights. They last a lot longer and put out fewer emissions. You can take shorter, cooler showers. Water heaters use electricity or natural gas to heat the water. Neither are renewable energy sources, so using less is best. Watering your lawn deeply once or twice a week instead of a shallow watering every day will help save water and keep your lawn green without the use of fertilizers. Raising the blades on your lawn mower will help with this as well. Taller grass will shade it's own roots, retain moisture and choke out any weeds naturally. Remember to turn off all lights that aren't being used, set your thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter and you'll be off to a really good start! Keep up the good work!

Answer 2

Try to make sure everything gets properly recycled. Most towns recycle papers, plastics, cans, and even leaves that fall from the trees. This is good for the environment and the recycling often produces revenue for the town.



Then there's capturing rainwater to use for the lawn, flowers, washing the walk ways, etc. Try by getting one of those large plastic garbage cans. Put the soft window screen sold in rolls at the hardware store on the top instead of a lid. This way, the rain can get into the can but not the mosquitos, bird poo, etc. if you know how to put a spicket on the bottom of the can, you can draw the water off from the bottom.



Use less electric by keeping the air conditioner set to use less when everyone is out of the house. Put the lights on timers and use those low watt light bulbs....

Answer 3

1: Be proud of what you do.

2: Start with yourself (or continue - you sound like you take this seriously). It is needed if you want to credible.

3: Learn about the environment

4: Learn the science behind the problems and the solutions

5: Ask critical questions. Not only to polluters, but also environmentalists with too simple answers.

6: Decide what you find most important, and decide where you want to focus

7: Write. Learn to write so people not only read, but listen. You need talent, excercise and engagement, but at least you can make sure you get exercise.

8: Start on 1 again. Over and over again. Getting something done is a matter of hard work, but those who take this challenge may suucced.

Answer 4

First u can stop using products that are harmful for environment, like palstic bags and animal products, try printing out some kinds of phamplet to encourage these things and spread it, use the help of friends. u Can also launch a website, Goggle pages will allow you to open up a site for free, try,



pages.google.com





That's a really nice picture u can publish it somewhere more noticable



Go to the Y! answers home page here u can find see some thing u can do to go green with ur yahoo account.

Answer 5

there are a number of small issues which you're able to do to assist your loved ones "bypass green". attempt turning off lights once you're actually not in a room, wash dishes by potential of hand each and every now and then particularly of using the dishwasher each and all of the time, start up a compost, unplug issues like the toaster and microwave while not in use, start up recycleing, open living house windows particularly of continuously turnning on the air @ living house, & use canvas luggage for grocerys insead of using the plactic luggage that are provided. If I have been you i could have your loved ones take a seat and clarify to them that assisting the enviorment is important to you and that u could could fairly get exhilaration from in the event that they could assist you in assisting the enviorment at living house by potential of doing small issues (like what i discussed above) that over the years somewhat upload up.

Answer 6

If you can get your parents to change their regular bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs. That's a great start. Recycle plastics,can, and bottles Take a bicycle to school and other places you have to go.

Avoid eating at fast food places whenever possible, you'll help reduce waste. With your allowance buy products books etc that are made out of recycled paper.



Get a group of people maybe your brothers and sisters and help clean up steams or parks.

Collect aluminum cans and recycle them, you may earn a buck or two by doing this while you're at it.

Donate toys and clothes to places like the Salvation Army or Goodwill.



Eat organic products. Feed the birds with bird feed it brings nature into your backyard and it helps rid your yard of bugs and you can hang a bird feeder or build a bird bath so the birds can drink water.



Go visit a zoo to learn more about endanger and other wild life.

Answer 7

its a good thing to think about environment, so the best think you

can do is:

1. when you have a rubbish through it in the right place not ion the ground and if u can recycle it thats will be better.

2.turn all the lights off when you go out, thats will less the burning of fuels in electric factories.

3.told your parents or friends that have car to use public transports.

4.use your bike.

5.search in the internet for sits that help animals.

6.you can get a pet and take car of it.

7.make a group with your friends to help the enviromment.

i hope that this advices will help you and good luck.

Answer 8

Yes, volunteer at your cities recycling plant or sence you love animals the humane society is a good place to help also most communities have conservation corps-you do work for elderly,field and stream cleaning ect.Or donate your time to a local chapter of the american red-cross as a helper of disaster cleanup.

Answer 9

I am also a fellow 15 year old. There are many things you can do to "go green." For starters:



1. Turn off your computer at night.



2. Unplug your cell phone charger when you are not using it.



3. when you are not using your computer during the day turn off the screen if you have a desktop. A screen saver is not a power saver.



4. Don't leave stuff plugged in when it is not in use. (toasters, blenders, coffee makers, etc.) They still use electricity when plugged in and not in use.



5. Advocate to your friends on global warming and saving human kind from being gone forever.

Answer 10

You can start at school if you don't already have a recycling program, then help get one started. Over the summer make sure your family participates in your local recycling programs. Learn to re-use certain products, plastic grocery bags make great small trash bags(bathroom trash can), empty gallon milk jugs can be used for kool-aid, water, bird seed, etc. Cut the top off of 2 liters for use as funnel. If there are any farms, animal rescues in your area you can do volunteer work for them over the summer, and possibly carry over to weekends once school starts back.

Answer 11

1. Pick up trash, everywhere you see it.

2. Turn off lights when you leave a room (unless someone is using them)

3. Go outside as much as possible. It will help you to see the endless possibilities of ways you can help and get you in better shape!

Answer 12

OH! I am so glad to here the younger generation being concerned about the environemt...

*Get a couple of your friends & go pick up trash...Save all of your aluminum cans so you can cash them in for money. You can use the money to replace your incadescent bulbs with cfl's, and other eco-friendly items...



*Start cleaning your room & house with homemade cleaning supplies(don't use mom's store bought chemicals)



*No longer use trash bags...Just dump it into the can



*Recycle whatever you can to prevent it from going to the landfill, If you don't currently recycle...Get on to your search engine and look up your location, get the number & call. Tell them you want to start recycling & you will get a bin to start putting your recyclables in.



*Don't let your mom drive you to school...Ride the bus.



*Take 5-10 min. showers...Don't take baths. A bath can use up to 70 gallons of water, whereas a shower uses 12-15 gallons of water.



*Start reusing your shower & dish water to water the plants. Don't use fresh water. The food from the dishes provides nutrients for the plants, and the soap, shampoo, & conditioner helps to break down the soil to prevent the roots becoming bounds in the soil. By using soapy water you help them to spread their roots.



*You said you wanted to help the animals...Volunteer at your local vet's office or the animal shelter. If you have a zoo near by you could volunteer there as well.



*Don't leave any lights on. Does not matter if you're going to be right back. Turn it off everytime you walk out of the doorway....



*Start your own compost bin...You'll probably get mom & dad to do the same. Look up compost bins on your search engine & it will tell you how to make one & maintain one as well.



*****If your parents, family, & friends see you trying to make a difference, they will more than likely catch onto it as well...Keep up the good work. Every little bit helps. God bless you sweetheart.

Answer 13

Well there are tuns of stuff you can do.



During the summer there are usually clean up programs going on. If you have any rivers of shores near you . Call up your local parks and recreation see if they have something going. If they don't they probably know who you can get hold of.



You can volunteer with the human society they always need help.



Call up the fish and game they always need help too. You can building habitats, count different populations etc.

Answer 14

You can offer to help clean up your community and plant trees. There must be some agencies in your area that you can contact.



You can increase effective recycling in your own home. Make sure that all of your lighting is flourescent at home and remind friends to do the same.



And you can write your congress folks and representatives to your state and nationally.

Answer 15

Your local energy company might have some suggestions to help you 'go green.' Many energy company websites offer helpful hints to improve energy efficiency.



There are many services and tips provided by local energy companies. The Southern California Gas Company offers rebates and incentives for retrofitting and/or buying energy efficient products.



Check out the Southern California Gas Company's energy efficiency website at http://socalgas.com/energyefficiency/

Answer 16

Check into your local recycling centers and see if theres anything that you can do to assist them to make their existence more well known in your area. Make flyers to inform people about the benefits of recycling and how it can make the Earth a better place to live. Try volunteering at your local Welcome center to inform visitors and travelers also. Maybe pick up trash along highways and at parks. Maybe you can host meetings about why vegetarians are better than meat eating people. Talk about the benefits of not eating animals for humans and for the Earth. Informing people about your choices and lifestyle can possibly change their outlook and diet on life.

Answer 17

Start recycling in your household. Get some boxes or other large containers, where you can put soda cans, milk cartons, and other items and bring them to your city's recycling center.



You could also find out what your state's renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) is and write a letter to your senator or representative to increase funding to solar energy projects, wind projects and other renewable energy categories.



Do some research on how much money your school could save, if you switched all the light bulbs in your school to compact flourescent light bulbs. Then approach your principal with the information and as many student signatures as you can get.



Get your parents to switch all light bulbs in your house to compact flourescent light bulbs.



Start composting: Learn about how to do it and do it in your household.



Contact a local solar thermal installer and find out what incentives are available for solar thermal systems, and how much money your parents could save. Calculate the break-even point and approach your parents with the calculation to see if they want to install a system on your house.



Have fun...

Answer 18

At 15 it tough, it depends on your state laws, but try volunteering your services.



You can try the parks department, if you don't mind picking up garbage.



See if you can volunteer at a local animal shelter.



I'm glad you're trying to something to help, more young people or should I say more people should be trying to contribute to our environment.

Answer 19

There are so many things you can do and you don't need me to list them. The biggest thing you can do is next year, when you turn 16 ... don't get a drivers license.



Don't do things like in the photo in your link, i.e. waste a piece of paper to demonstate it is bad to waste paper.



Think of the environmental consequences of your actions BEFORE you take them, not after.

Answer 20

global warming cannot be stopped but we can stop helping it becoming faster,and being friendlier to out Environment cannot be bad

-----------------------------....

The best we can do as individuals is be more responsible ,in our own neck of the woods



Organise well publicized clean up parties ,talk on the radio

Have citizan meetings

Get the shools involved to plant trees and listen to environmental awareness talks,



If you do any cleaning up leave signs behind saying who cleaned,why and ask people not to start dumping rubbish again ,leave a hole or bins ,in case people come with trash ,



We have done a lot of comunity cleaning and if you dont leave alternatives or try to work on peoples guilt feelings (some people actually have those ,but not many)

than your efforts are a waste of time.



That is what we do in Mexico



POSITIVE ACTIONS

Print Tshirts with slogans ,hang posters all over the place (with recycled paper if possible)



Classify trash take out all the organic waste and make compost with it ,the worst you can do is throw it with the trash



70% of contamination is due to organic waste that is mixed in with the garbage .

And it is just as bad in the sewer where it helps to breed rats and in the landfill it poisons the ground



And it is the easiest to take care of

o first of all we have to clasify trash at least keep the organic to one side ,like in a plasic bin with a lid



If you got a few meters of ground ,you only need 1 or 2 square meters in a shallow hole ,in the shade ,that you can wet now and again ,where you dump everything that is organic ,from toilet paper,bones vegetable cuttings ,eggshells,,dead bodies ,excrement ,and cover regularly with leaves to keep humid and to hide any smell

the worms will come and decompose the wastes truning it into beautifull blck soil for the garden of flower pots .



If you are in a apartment ,if you have a balcony get a big plastic bin drill some holes in the side and lid ,



Add a few buckets of sand now and again to put over the trash ,you should realt stir or move the stuff at times to airate it and ensure that the decomposition is overall ,keep moist



This rubbish does not get big very fast and the thing works for a long time with out getting full

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these are Al gores sites

http://events.stepitup2007.org/............

http://www.stepitup2007.org/



http://events.stepitup2007.org/............





If you want to help the planet ,plant a tree every week ,if everyone on the planet did we we would be able to slowdown the destructive processes



Reduce carbon emisions,and they are already working on that by alternative forms of energy and regulations on carbon producing materials,aerosol cans,burning rubbish,industrial chimneys,powerplants etc.



The capture of carbon and the production of water and assist the aquiferous manta.



The world bank pays large subsidies for reforrestation to capture carbon and the best tree for this is the Pawlonia



Waterharvesting projects ,such as millions of small dams.to redirect over ground waterflows from the rains into the ground to supply subteranian water supplies.



The protection of existing forrests.



Stop building more highways,urban planning to include vegetation stop building cities encourage people to return to the land to conduct their business from there which now has become possible thanks to the internet.



Education to motivate people to auto sufficiency by building more home food gardens.



Education on environmental awareness

education on family planning to curb over´population



Agricultural education and improvements to follow the principals or sustainability and soil management.



More environmental or land ,design to prevent bush fires,such as--fire breaks



More dams.regulations and control for public behaviour



Alternative effeciant public transport to discourage the use of the internal conbustion engine



Recicling wastes,limit water use



Here are a 100 more ways



http://www.eco-gaia.net/forum-pt/index.p...

Answer 21

Change the lightbulbs - it saves electricity costs

Throw some baking soda into the toilet before flushing to neutralize acids to kinda ph the earth

plant a tree

don't use pesticides but garlic and things like that, every little bit adds up

Answer 22

Start by recycling everything you possibly can. Get together with friends and collect trash.



Congrats to you for taking such a wonderful step towards helping our worlds environment.



I think everyday should be earthday, don't you?



:)

Answer 23

start by planting a tree good luck

Answer 24

http://newsbusters.org/node/12968

Answer 25

ride your bike, plant some trees, don't start smoking and look for website to find more