Keeping ourselves healthy is, naturally, priority number one. Taking care of the health of our family is tied with that. But, even if you weren’t already concerned with the wider world, that’s a feeling that can tend to come as we get a bit older. The desire to help leave one’s mark on the world and to help face health issues across society is a common one. But you might be wondering, what can you do to help? The truth is, you might be able to do quite a lot.
The age of information technology and digital media has done a lot to make us all much more aware of health problems out there than ever before. However, you can help, when it comes to things like cancer awareness or campaigns around specific illnesses, lend what platform you can, talk to family members, and be aware of symptoms and warning signs to look out for.
Donate blood
When it comes to offering some practical and accessible help, then you should never doubt the importance of those who donate blood, especially on a regular basis. That blood can be used to save lives, including for infusions for those who are going through life-saving surgeries. Finding a blood donor center near you is always a good idea.
Contribute to disease eradication
It’s not always that diseases are here to stay and we just have to accept them and find ways to better live around them. Smallpox and rinderpest have already been eradicated and there’s a good chance that we can get rid of some others. Polio eradication is one of the big medical fights going on right now. Contributing donations to help with the eradication of this disease could end up in another major win for the history of human medicine.
Volunteer your time
There could always be more people on hand to help those who are in need. Volunteering your time and learning the skills necessary to be there in a crisis situation can result in life-changing help for people in your community. You can learn to become a volunteer EMT, for instance, when there’s an emergency and the usual services really need some additional help. For those who don’t want to be in a crisis situation quite as much, there are plenty of care services that can use volunteers, too.
Teaching good family health habits
While “charity begins at some” shouldn’t be used as a cop-out to avoid helping those beyond your front door, there’s no doubt that some of the biggest influence you play is going to be felt at home. Taking a serious look at the health habits of the family, from how much everyone works out to the meals that you’re putting on the table every night, will have a ripple effect on the health of your kids for years to come, and perhaps even how they raise their own kids.
You’re not going to cure cancer by yourself. However, by contributing and collaborating with the helpers already out there, you can do a lot more to improve the health of the world than you might otherwise.
Creating long-lasting habits in children should start at a young age. Kids are quite curious and their little brains soak up information like a sponge. Once a child gets to have an experience, it usually leads to help them latch on to new ideas and gain new perspectives. As a parent, it’s important to teach your children lifelong lessons that will last a lifetime. This includes friendship, sharing, morals, and compassion as well. Compassion comes in many forms from being, animals, right down to nature itself on Mother Earth.
It’s essential to teach your children at a young age about the importance of the environment as they’ll be the ones to inherit it. All it really takes are some gentle pushes and nudges here and there to get your children to pick up habits. Starting small and gradually doing bigger actions is going to be the best way to get your child to become active on sustainability. These are some helpful tips to get you and your children starting today on saving the environment.
In order to get your child to feel a connection to nature and grasp the understanding of our impact, getting your child outside more often will help them build an appreciation towards it. Appreciating the outdoors will eventually lead to respect for the earth. There are plenty of outdoor activities you and your child can do together such as going to the park, playing games, or even doing some gardening.
Making changes at home
There are a variety of ways you can get your kid involved in the eco-friendly changes at home. Gardening is one of the best ways to get you and your child outside. This allows them to learn about nature, biodiversity, and patience. This can also teach your child about the hard work, time, and labor that goes into growing food such as fruits and vegetables. There’s something invigorating about getting to pick your own harvest and have the chance to eat it. Getting them to experience this form of satisfaction will give them an understanding of how great it is to garden.
There are other changes that can be done at homes such as installing solar panels from one of the best solar companies, switching to Star or other low energy appliances, plus low flow toilets and showers are excellent as well. Letting your children know that you are making changes within the household will give them a gentle nudge that they should also be involved in helping the environment.
Watch movies with them
Kids are very impressionable, plus their active imaginations may need some visual assistance to help them grasp an understanding of what’s happening to the world. There are plenty of TV shows and movies that are geared towards children that do help in pushing the fact that the environment needs saving. The classic 1980s TV show Captain Planet is a good example, but a more modern take would be Pixar’s Wall-E as this movie portrays the harmful effects of consumerism.
If you’re wanting to know how to reduce your eco-footprint at home then it can first begin by looking at what goes into the trash. This is something that the whole family can get behind. Most neighborhoods have a recycling collection that separates paper, plastic, metal, and everything else from each other. This gives your children an understanding of what material is what but it also helps them in understanding producing waste. Give your child a talk and landfills and why everyone needs to make more of an effort to produce less trash. Talk to them about what can have a second life and why recycling is so important.
Composting and rain collection
If you and your little ones are doing some gardening outside, then there’s a chance that you’re composting as well. Composting sounds a little complex and scary to come families but it’s fortunately quite easy to do. Composting is wonderful for the environment and it gives your children the chance to understand what can and what can’t be composted.
Composting is also something that many people don’t quite understand the benefits of, but it’s great for your gardens and the environment. It doesn’t need to be costly either, which is one of the best perks. Compost bins are quite affordable and can be found at your home improvement store.
Rainwater collection can also be very handy for your garden and it can save you money. Rainwater collectors can come in a variety of sizes from 100 liters up to 300 liters. However, you should look in advance whether or not you can collect water. Some cities, counties, and even states have a complete ban on it. So it’s best to look into this beforehand so you won’t risk breaking any laws.
Avoid buying anything brand new
One of the best ways to get your children to understand money management and the environment is through talking with them about the harmful effects of consumerism. Children are very impressionable, things are being advertised to their left and right. It makes children want things without understanding why they want them, plus it creates this expectation to keep up with constantly changing trends.
It’s so important to talk to your child as early as you can about the harmful effects of consumerism. Let them know it’s okay to want things but it can be harmful if they’re wanting things that they’re not going to use or need. Buying things that are brand new isn’t always necessary, and there are plenty of thrift shops that have affordable items. Getting into the mentality that second-hand items are just as good and that you’re helping save the environment is going to really help in the long run. This helps your family fight consumerism and stay sustainable.
Donating items
Just like it’s best to purchase second-hand items, it’s best to try and give a second life to old items. If you and your family have clothes that are no longer being worn, or your kids have toys they no longer play with, then look into getting them donated. You can donate your items to thrift shops, clothing drives, churches, homeless shelters, and plenty of other places.
This is going to help families have access to clothes and other things that they may have not been able to afford or have access to. Just make sure everything that you and your family are donating is gently used. As in, no stains, broken parts, tears, rips, or anything else in these donated goods.
Think about eco-friendly alternatives before tossing things out
Donating items is a great way to give a second life to something, but what about something that probably can’t be donated? Children tend to throw away things without putting much thought into them. Help get you and your child to think outside of the box. Ask if something can be given a second life before it gets thrown out. Can this item be recycled? Can this item be repurposed? Can it be reused? Can it be sold or donated to someone? These are some things that your family should get into the habit of thinking about before just throwing things into the garbage can.
Make goals
There’s always something new each month that your family can do. Look into making some goals with your children and see what can be obtained. Maybe make a goal about how much can be plated, or how much can be recycled. The possibilities for making goals can be endless. It’s all about making these habits enjoyable for your children so they can stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Renewable energy is any power generated from natural sources like water, sun, wind, and biomass. It was estimated that renewable energy sources accounted for approximately 12% of total US energy consumption in 2020. These renewable energy sources emit little to no greenhouse gases in their production, so they are worth considering over traditional energy sources to combat climate change. Please take a look at these points if you wish to learn more about using renewable energy for your home.
Solar energy accounts for a meager 1.6% of total electricity generation in modern-day America. Nevertheless, it remains one of the popular and effective ways to generate and leverage renewable energy for your home’s needs. You can fix photovoltaic (PV) panels on your roof or in your yard. These panels harness the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity you can use to power your appliances and warm your home. Depending on the orientation and latitude of the panels, you can generate at least 10 watts of electricity per square foot for your home. Solar leasing and outright ownership are the two common ways to obtain a photovoltaic solar system for your home. Also, the question “How much are solar panels?” is a top concern for many homeowners considering solar. Although the panels’ type, size, and location can influence installation costs, you will pay anywhere between $3.30 to $4.50 per watt.
Install tubular skylights
Tubular skylights don’t generate electricity, but they produce free natural light, which you can leverage to slash your utility bills. A tubular skylight has a round metal tube, ceiling diffuser, and a roof-mounted dome. The interior of the tube has a reflective coating that reflects more than 90% of sunlight and delivers it via the diffuser, which produces a bright and soft glow of natural light. These skylights are worth considering for your roof over their traditional counterparts because they are quicker, cheaper, and easier to install.
Wind turbines
Turbines are typically found floating offshore or on huge tracts of vast land called wind farms. However, if you have enough land, you can install a small wind turbine to power your home. Wind energy is more stable and efficient than solar, and the right size wind turbine can generate most or all of your power needs easily. Nevertheless, it is critical to note that you will require sustained winds of 10 miles per hour or more to generate enough power for your home. Also, zoning regulations, local laws, and HOAs may forbid wind turbines, depending on where you reside.
Hydropower is an option that won’t work for many people. However, you are in luck if you have water flowing through your property. You can divert some or all of the flowing water through a hydroelectric generator to produce electricity for your home. Consequently, find the largest vertical distance the flowing water will travel and divert it, so it flows through the generator in a regulated manner. You can produce substantial power this way, depending on the vertical distance and the amount of water. In addition, you may need to hire a professional to install your hydroelectric generator if you have no engineering knowledge. Nevertheless, hydro power’s relative stability over wind and solar makes it an excellent option to consider for your home’s energy needs if possible.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
