5 Ways to Save the Planet

Meaghan Weeden | October 15, 2020 | 3 min read

HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE PLANET

With everything that’s happening in the world right now, you may be wondering how you can help our planet? The answer is yes. All of us, working together, can take actions, big and small, that will have lasting positive environmental impact. 

Every day we, as individuals, make choices that may seem inconsequential in the moment, but that can add up over time. The good news is that by making some simple changes to our habits, we can all live a sustainable life and help the environment.

5 ways to help the environment

colorful vegetarian salad

1. EAT LESS MEAT, MORE PLANTS

It's no secret that industrial agriculture and factory farmed meat is bad for the environment. If possible, adopt a more sustainable diet: cut down on read meats, get most of your food from local farmers who use sustainable practices, and eat more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts to reduce your impact. This action will help reduce global GHG emissions, decrease deforestation, and protect our global freshwater supply. It's also good for your health!

colorful trash on an Indian beach

2. BUY LESS STUFF

Our overconsumption of cheaply made, single-use goods is wrecking the planet and creating 60,000 garbage trucks full of waste every day. Check out our tips on zero-waste living and adopt habits such as repairing what you have, purchasing long-lasting items, and thinking about the entire life cycle of each item you buy. After all, knowing that plastic toothbrush will take at least 300 years to break down should change your perspective. When you do need to make purchases, try to get the most eco-friendly version to reduce your impact.

young woman holding reusable glass water bottle

3. REDUCE WATER WASTE

Have a leaky faucet? You could be pouring 90 gallons of water down the drain. Every. Single. Day. If you aren’t sure how to fix it, there’s a YouTube video for that! While we’re on the subject, avoid buying bottled water. The micro plastics are bad for you, and people around the world buy 1 million plastic drinking bottles every minute, which go right into our oceans to harm aquatic life. The best solution? Install a filter on your tap and keep learning for more ways to reduce water waste.

Looking for even more ways to help our planet? 

white wind turbine against bright blue sky with power lines running behind

4. SUPPORT RENEWABLE ENERGY

Over the next few decades, global energy demand is expected to increase by at least 56% — and to meet the emissions targets agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement, we need to shift 85% of the world’s energy supply to non fossil-fuel sources. That’s a big goal, but if we all reduce energy consumption and demand that our energy come from renewable energy sources like solar and wind, we'll be too loud to ignore. 

young couple planting a tree seedling together at a planting event

5. PLANT A TREE WITH US!

Reforestation has consistently ranked as a #1 climate change solution, and not just because trees are capable of absorbing carbon from the atmosphere (around 22lbs/year for a mature tree!). Healthy forests give wildlife a home, provide food and sustainable income for communities, support the water cycle, hold soil together, clean the air, provide medicines, and so much more. So plant a tree with us today – it’s an awesome feeling!


There you have it! We hope that the next time some asks “can we save the planet?” you’ll answer with a resounding YES and refer them to this list.

Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting
Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting

Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most

As the need for reforestation is global and ever-changing, we feature where trees are most needed now. This project is currently supporting Longleaf Pine Restoration. Learn more

With your help, we will:

  • Protect wildlife habitat and increase biodiversity
  • Restore essential watersheds for soil stability and erosion control
  • Sequester carbon in the biomass of the forests through climate stability
  • Longleaf pine forests are among the most biodiverse in North America and provide habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species. Longleaf pine forests are well-adapted to a warming climate as longleaf pine is a resilient species that is fire-dependent, drought-tolerant, and long-lived. Reforestation of longleaf pine ecosystems- to increase, maintain, and enhance the species- has been identified as a priority area within America's Longleaf Range Wide Conservation Plan. 🌲
  • Our longleaf pine reforestation project will restore habitats, control soil erosion, and sequester carbon in an effort to stabilize the climate in the area. Not only will wildlife benefit from the clean air and water provided by the planted trees, but the surrounding community will, too. This project will work with a variety of landowners whose responsible forest management and stewardship will only further increase the benefits for species residing on the lands. Some of the most notable species that will benefit from habitat restoration include gopher tortoises, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and eastern indigo snakes
  • A personalized tree certificate (see gallery) to say thanks for your donation. We'll also send you updates about our Longleaf Pine Restoration project, so you can track the impact your trees are having on the ground!
  • We always plant a mix of diverse, native species from local nurseries. This project is working to replenish longleaf forests, so the native species grown in the nurseries will mainly be longleaf pine, but also include shortleaf pine and loblolly pine.

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