Earth Day 2008

Happy Earth Day! Today is the day we show appreciation to this beautiful planet by raising the awareness of how to improve the environment. We can also reflect on improvements that we have already made in improving the environment. There are so many things that we can do every day to take a part in saving the planet. So don't let Earth Day be the only day you help out.

Every effort is a big step towards helping to save this planet. What can you do to help out this planet?

*Go green
*Go hybrid
*Recycle
*Pick paper, not plastic
*Conserve water
*Use less energy....Lights Out!
*Drive less

These are just a few things that can be done. Find out what you can do to help the environment at EPA.gov. Together we can help to save this planet.

Gas Price Tips: Don't Let it Fall Below the Halfway Mark

Gas prices are outlandish these days, and it's really hard to save money while giving it all away at the pump. Well, there are a few things that you can do to make the money last longer, but it may take a little while to see change.

I for one have limited options on conserving gas, but I try my best to save here and there when I can. Here are a few that help me and my
friends out with the rising gas prices:

1. Carpool once or twice a week. Find out if any of your colleagueslive near you and set up a carpool. (Make sure the people in your carpool are tolerable. There is nothing worst that riding with an annoying person to work every day.)

2. Purchase a gas giftcard each pay day or once a month. QuikTrip (QT) Gas Stations sell gift cards and they can be used at the pump. By using a giftcard, you can better regulate and pay attention to how much you spend on gas each week. Once you have run out of money on the card, you have an opportunity to review how much you have driven over the week and determine if you need to minimize travel.

3. Plan before driving. Many of us have errand days that we pick to handle everything we need to do that day. Map what you're going to do. Do not leave the house until you have a plan, because you might end up aimlessly driving back and forth to places when you could have gone a route that would take you in one direction rather than 10.

4. Find an alternate, quicker route to work that has minimal traffic lights and traffic.

5. Slow down. Change your driving habits, by going slower speeds. The faster you go the quicker you burn out gas.

6. Don't let it fall below the halfway mark. Once your gas hand falls below the halfway mark, it costs more to fill up your tank. I don't know if it's some type of conspiracy that the oil companies and car manufacturers have, but I've noticed that it takes more money to get the gas hand to the halfway mark than it does to keep it over the halfway mark. Weeks that I keep my tank over that mark, I spend a little less filling up. Try it out. It may work for you.

7. Keep up with your oil changes. Maintaining a healthy engine and healthy car can help you to save in the long run on gas and maintenance.

8. Catch the bus. Public transportation is much cheaper than personally paying at the pump.

9. Move closer to your main destinations if you are flexible with where your.

10. Go Green. Purchase a hybrid car. The cars are more expensive but save you more in the long haul.

11. Ride a bicycle, moped or motorcycle when the weather permits.

12. Walk. If you live close to everything you do then walk. It's good for your health and it costs you nothing but time.

Let's save our dollars while saving the environment!

What Are We Doing to this Planet???

Over the past year, I have really been concerned with the state of this planet. What did Earth ever do to us to make us want to just destroy it? Well, it is time for us to take charge of the situation.

There are several Go Green campaigns out there that are helping people to become aware of the problems this planet is facing.

"According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800; 2 billion by 1922; and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. That means that if the world’s natural resources were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had." Go Green Initiative

We have to help save this planet. Little changes in your lifestyle and habits can help:

1. Take your own shopping bag to the grocery store. Stores like Publix and Kroger now have shopping bags you can purchase that are reusable. This cuts down on the use of plastic. Plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to break down.

2. Use less paper, but if you have to use paper remember to recycle.

3. Use paper plates, and recycle them when done. This will cut down on the use of water.

4. Be aware of how much water you use when taking showers.

5. Car pool.

6. Keep up with maintenance needed on your vehicle. Bad emissions equals pollution.

7. Turn off your lights if you are not using them.

8. Drive less. Minimize the time you spend on the road. Riding a bike to places near your home is still an option and a good form of exercise.

Not only will changing some of your daily habits help save the planet, your daily modification can also help your budget out some. You would be amazed at how much we waste on a daily basis.

I challenge you to look at what you use everyday, and think about how the things that you use everday impact the environment. Are you wasteful? If so, find ways to help the environment. We have to work together to save this planet...unless you like unstable weather patterns, smog, and depleting resources.

Check out some of the images of our impacts on this planet on Two JetSet Divas...and a Map. You will be amazed at what you see.