Make Earth Day a priority every day

Published 10:32 am Monday, April 24, 2017

In the hectic rhythm of our daily lives, it can be easy to take for granted the things that are always around us: our family, friends, homes, cars, food, even the Earth itself.  As we mark the annual celebration of Earth Day this weekend, it is a good time to pause and reflect on how our actions impact the Earth’s future.  Are we doing the best we can in our daily lives to take care of the world around us?  What more can we do to better reduce our carbon footprints and preserve our resources for generations to come?  As is often the case in life, it can be easy to make excuses, saying that one person can’t make a difference, or that recycling is too inconvenient and not worth the effort.  This is simply not true.  The cumulative effects of our resourcefulness now can help ensure the future of humanity and of our planet.

In other areas of the world and in other parts of our own country, recycling, composting and other ecological practices are not only commonplace, they are an expected part of the routine of daily life.  Cities from California to Pennsylvania to the United Kingdom have experimented with fining residents for failing to do their part in recycling, and in more and more places around the world, single-use plastic shopping bags have been outlawed in favor of reusable bags.  Yet a drive through residential areas of Milledgeville on recycling pick-up days shows far too many homes that still do not put out recycling for collection.  While progress has been made in recycling in our area, there is so much more we can do.  Recycling services are available in both the county and the city.  If you are a city water customer, you can request a recycling tote from Advanced Disposal (478-453-4435) and will receive twice-monthly curbside pick-up.  If you live in the county, you can take your recyclables to the closest convenience center when you are already out doing other errands.  Visit http://www.baldwincountyga.com/dept-directory/solid-waste/ for an interactive map with convenience center locations and hours.  Much of your household waste is recyclable: No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, corrugated cardboard, metal cans, box board (cereal boxes, etc.), newspaper, magazines, and most other paper products.

Recycling, once established in your home or office, becomes as habitual as any other household task.  Placing a separate receptacle next to the main trash can in your kitchen can be a good way to instill the habits of separating garbage from recyclables.  As an added bonus, seeing the recycling pile up in the bin can give a sense of satisfaction that you are doing something positive for the environment. 

Other small changes anyone can make to reduce their impact on the environment include: switching from plastic grocery bags to reusable cloth bags, carrying a refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, buying products in larger packaging instead of individually wrapped portions, starting a compost bin in the backyard for food scraps (creating subsequent fertilizer for gardening), washing clothes in cold water whenever possible, and taking shorter showers. 

It is up to us as residents of Milledgeville and Baldwin County to step up and do our parts.  We only have one planet to inhabit, and it is our responsibility to take care of it.  Even if it’s hard to see the immediate effects in our lifetimes, we should care about the legacy we leave for future generations.  As philosopher Bertrand Russell said, “One must care about a world one will not see.”  By making the commitment to recycling and choosing better environmental practices in our daily lives, we can make our community an example for others in the area and we can help ensure that there will be many more Earth Days to celebrate in years to come.