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Environmental Preservation: How To Help Protect The Environment

Environmental preservation is necessary because Earth’s resources are limited and


threatened by human activity. Environmental protection focuses on efficiency, protecting
wildlife and flora, and minimizing carbon footprints. At the macro level, environmental
preservation is carried out through legislation, community outreach, and increasing the
public’s environmental awareness. However, you can also help the environment right at
home. Everyone, including yourself, can play a hand at being environmentally friendly.
When you’re disposing of trash, make sure that you are following the law and using the
right trash receptacles. If you’re not sure of your communities guidelines when dealing
with trash, do not hesitate to contact local authorities or legislators. Paint, electrical car
parts, and batteries post a unique hazard to the environment. Proper disposal will ensure
that these materials are not leaked into the environment.

When recycling glass, make sure to remove all lids and stickers. If an opening lid is
embedded with other materials, then you can leave it. These items will be incinerated
during the recycling process. Make sure that these glass containers are free of food
particles and oils. Some communities may have specific instructions when disposing of
mirrors and windows. Contact your city’s recycling programs to stay informed on the
latest recycling directions.

Plastic is uniquely more complicated to recycle. Plastic tends to be extremely hard to


biodegrade, with many types of plastics being able to exist in the environment for many
years. Among other problems, this poses a choking hazard to wildlife. When plastic
infiltrates the food chain, then it will tend to travel up to the apex predator. For example,
a large fish can consume a large amount of plastic. A seal can then come and consume
this fish with the plastic inside of it. A great white shark will then eat the seal with the
fish inside of it, potentially compacting it’s intestinal tract. This is assuming that the fish
or seal has not died already from eating plastic.

Most plastic materials will have a number imprinted on it. You will find this identification
stamped on the bottom. These numbers will run from 1 to 7. Different numbered plastics
will require different procedures when recycling. Make sure to clean all plastics with
soapy water. Recycle the plastic by grouping the same numbers into its own clear plastic
bag. The hardest type of plastic to recycle is plastic that is imprinted with the number 7.
These tend to be difficult to recycle because they are usually made with different types of
plastics. Number 7 plastics are seldom collected or recycled. Determined the consumers
can return these number 7 plastics back to the manufacturers for proper disposal.

The preservation of water is also an act of environmental protection. Even though 70%
of the world is covered with water, only a small percentage of it is suitable for human
consumption. Many people take water that pours out of their faucet for granted.
Remember, about 1.1 billion people are without access to fresh water for cleaning,
bathing, or cooking. Small habits can make a big difference in water preservation.
Whenever you turn off the faucet, make sure that water is not dripping from it. Turn off
the water when you’re actively brushing your teeth. Purchase a home filter so you and
your family can enjoy clean drinking tap water instead of purchasing bottled water. Also
make the habit of cleaning clothes with cold water, unless you are battling a stubborn
stain.

Help the preservation of tropical forests by using suitable types of woods and staying
away from wood derived from exotic trees. Woods like mahogany are acquired from
exotic rain forests, and will take many for mahogany forests to recover. Oak or pine are
more suitable forms of wood because they are fast-growing and do not come directly from
endangered forests.

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