i'm thankful for the earth we live in...

so i'm wishing you a thoughtful and happy earth day! here are some facts to celebrate the day...did you know?

• Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day.
• The garbage in a landfill stays for a for about 30 years. In 1995 over 200 of the world landfills were full. Approximately only 10 percent of every landfill can be safely cleaned up.
• One bus carries as many people as 40 cars!
• The average family of 4 tosses out 88+ pounds of plastic every year
• We each use about 12,000 gallons of water every year
• The 500 million automobiles on earth burn an average of 2 gallons of fuel a day. Each gallon of fuel releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.
• Approximately 5 million tons of oil produced in the world each ear ends up in the ocean.
• The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours
• For every 2000 pounds of paper (1 ton) recycled, we save 7,000 gallons of water free from chemicals.
• Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees. Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees
• Earth is 2/3 water, but all the fresh water streams only represent one hundredth of one percent.
• 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year
• It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than to make new ones. 5 billion new aluminum cans are used each year
• Here is an example of how long it takes some things take to break down:
  plastics take 500 years; aluminum cans take 500 years; organic materials take 6 months; cotton, rags, paper take 6 months.

There's plenty more facts to be had on the good ol' w.w.w. if you're intersted!

Do something today to help sustain the earth instead of tearing it apart. Too busy to think about it? Don't think there is anything YOU can do? Need some simple ideas?

Take a shorter shower, do one less load of laundry, take a bag of cans or plastic bottles to the recycling center, use a tote bag to carry your purchases home, use recycled items, use the funny pages to wrap gifts instead of buying new wrapping, ride your bike to get your starbucks instead of driving, check out library books or used books instead of buying new books, turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth...

I don't think these are super-difficult lifestyle changes to make...we can each do our part, yes?