Environmental Concerns:
beneficial individual actions

Compiled by Dr. Carol J. Baskauf
 Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN
baskaufc@apsu.edu

1. Preserve / create habitat in your backyard (go to National Wildlife Federation=s homepage for ideas: http://www.nwf.org )

- don=t have a big lawn

- if building, clear as little wooded property as possible

- don=t mow in the woods

- plant native species, and remove invasive exotics (buy from native plants nurseries and encourage local nurseries to sell native species)

To see examples of common local invasive species, see: www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/pages/invasive-plants.htm

2. Make environmental concerns a factor when planning the size of your family.

Also, make human population growth a discussion issue with people you know.

3. Recycle everything possible and reuse things as much as possible.

- choose recyclable objects when you have a choice

- buy products made from recycled materials (e.g. paper)

4. Limit your driving.

- walk or bike when you can

- use public transport when you can (encourage city planners to have good public transport)

- try to accomplish as many tasks as possible on any given car trip

- make environmental concerns be a factor when deciding where to live (e.g. in terms of limiting commutes, etc.)

5. Limit your resource use (Aconsume@ less) in various ways:

- buy fuel efficient cars

- minimize use of nonrenewable energy (gas for cars, home heating and cooling, turn off unnecessary lights, use Acompact flourescent bulbs@ or any flourescent light instead of incandescent bulbs, etc.) & encourage businesses too (tell the restaurant manager if the A.C. is too cold!)

- buy Agreen power switch@ energy (e.g. TVA=s renewable energy sources); see http://www.tva.com/greenpowerswitch/

- if building a home, consider incorporating renewable energy systems (solar, wind). For information, see: http://www.homepower.com , and http://www.ases.org , and http://www.sunplans.com

- install water-saving shower heads

- keep your water heater at a minimum heating level to meet your needs

- whenever possible buy foods that are grown locally (because of energy savings due to no long-distance shipping)

- insulate your home (to reduce heating / cooling energy loss)

6. Support environmentally helpful laws

- make environmental concerns an important factor when voting

- write to politicians in support of environmental issues and in opposition to environmentally destructive policies

(e.g. support the protection of natural lands & parks, including preserving public lands such as our national forests, support pollution control regulations, auto emissions and fuel efficiency regulations, the endangered species law, conservation based gas taxes as disincentives to driving a lot, bottle return laws, tax breaks or other incentives for using / developing renewable energy sources and recycling, U.S. financial support of U.N. family planning efforts around the world, etc.)

7. Join an environmental organization (see list at end)

8. Miscellaneous life style / consumer items

- eat Alower on the food chain@ (less meat)

- buy organic foods

- only eat seafood that is being collected sustainably (for information: http://www.environmentaldefense.org/tool_pop.cfm?tool=seafood , then under Atop picks@ click on Abest & worst choices@)

- don=t buy furniture made from tropical lumber. When buying furniture or lumber look for the FSC logo (Forest Stewardship Council). (For information, go to http://www.worldwildlife.org and under Alearn more@ select Aforests@, then select Acertification@. Or go to http://www.fscoax.org)

- don=t buy products made from endangered / threatened species (furs, ivory, etc.)

9. Help control exotic species by volunteering to help remove exotics at a park with an eradication program (e.g. Warner Parks near Nashville has such a program)

10. Consider protecting a natural area you might own from development by future owners through a land trust agreement (e.g. see Land Trust for Tennessee: http://www.landtrusttn.org )

11. Learn to monitor your local streams. (Local group = Red River Water Watch, see Ms. Laurina Lyle lylel@apsu.edu or Dr. Steve Hamilton hamiltonsw@apsu.edu) (see also: http://www.cumberlandrivercompact.org and http://www.adopt-a-stream.org )

12. If interested, try a nature-related job or internship, e.g. see The Student Conservation Association (http://www.sca-inc.org)

13. Buy a subscription to a kids= environmental magazine for a child you know (e.g. Big Backyard or Ranger Rick, see http://www.nwf.org )

Protecting the environment for yourself and future generations is worth some inconvenience B even some work and expense! (Remember, most good things in life require some work and sacrifice!)

Examples of conservation organizations:

The Nature Conservancy (works out conservation easements with private landowners, both individuals and organizations. Also buys land to protect species, often then giving the land to government conservation agencies to protect): http://www.tnc.org

Audubon (education emphasis: a local Clarksville group meets weekly: see@Warioto Audubon Club@ board on second floor): http://www.audubon.org

World Wildlife Fund (endangered species, education, etc.): http://www.worldwildlife.org

National Wildlife Federation (education emphasis, adults and children): http://www.nwf.org

Sierra Club (specialty is working for environmental legislation, although other groups do this to varying degrees as well): http://www.sierraclub.org

The Environmental Defense Fund (specialty is working with the legal system regarding environmental litigation): http://www.environmentaldefense.org

National Parks and Conservation Association (focuses specifically on national parks): http://www.npca.org

Natural Resources Defense Council (focuses on legal issues): http://www.nrdc.org

 

Population Connection: http://www.populationconnection.org

Examples of native nurseries (also try searching web):

Native Gardens (615-856-0220) (Greenback, TN)

Prairie Moon Nursery (especially prairie plants): 507-454-5238, http://www.prairiemoonnursery.com