1. Eat local and, if possible, organic. Less transport means less pollution and more freshness. Also, fresh fish and caribou are better for you than the meat you can buy in the store.
2. Compost, (see last issue of the Nation, Vol 15. No. 17, for details).
3. Plant a tree. You can usually buy trees at garden stores. Some hardware
stores sell them as well, usually in the spring.
4. Cars and trucks that consume less gas are better for the environment. If you can’t change your vehicle, keep it in good condition; try to carpool, bike, snowshoe or walk to work. More importantly, don’t leave your car idling.
5. Make your voice heard. Let your band councils know what you want by
writing letters, calling them or gathering signatures for petitions.
6. Reuse. Somebody else might want or need the things you are getting rid of. You can set up a sheltered area, where people can bring their things like clothing, bikes, fridges or stereos, so that the items are not damaged by the weather. This way people can come and take what they want when it is convenient for them.
7. Recycle. If there are no facilities near you and you want to recycle, make your voice heard. Garbage ends up in dumps where it takes a long time to biodegrade, and space is not endless.
8. Reduce. If you can buy a product with less packaging, do it. It takes a lot of energy, water and oil to make packaging, which results in water and air pollution.
9. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. They might cost a bit more but last much longer, save you about $30 in the course of their lifespan, and save the environment 2000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases.
10. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth, shave or soap up your hands. You can install low-flow showerheads, which will help you save on hot water and electricity. Small devices are also available for your taps. A regular toilet takes up to 20 litres of water per flush, a new one will only take six. Water is far from being the inexhaustible resource we think it is.
