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We welcome diversity and sing our differences
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Cool Campaign June Challenge
June Challenges: Your Consumer Footprint
| From 1950 to 2000, Americans consumed as much food and material goods as all the generations of Americans before them. If everyone in the world lived the way the average American does, we would need four more planet Earths to provide all the necessary materials and energy. We must explore new ways to reduce our consumption habits; so why do we consume so much?
For an entertaining 21 minute look at why our culture has become so deeply consumer-oriented, watch The Story of Stuff video, at right. Invite your family to join you. It's sure to spark an interesting discussion!
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Buy Locally Produced Food The average meal travels 1,200 miles by truck, ship, and/or plane to reach your dining room table. All that transportation emits CO2 into the environment, that can be reduced by buying food produced closer to home. Read more ...
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Buy Organic Food Organic food isn't just better for you, organic farming preserves the millions of microorganisms that live in the soil and naturally keep it rich year after year. Chemical pesticides used to kill off "bad" pests, also kill these vital microorganisms which results in a massive release of CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Read more ...
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Eat Less Meat It turns out that the average American does more to reduce global warming emissions by going vegetarian than by switching to a Prius. Read more ...
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Reduce Waste The typical American creates 4.6 pounds of garbage per day, or 1,700 pounds of garbage per year--that's double what it was thirty years ago. Read more ...
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Reuse From 1950 to 2000, Americans consumed as much food and material goods as all the generations of Americans before them. Read more ...
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Recycle In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Americans will buy, use and throw away 1,245 tons of raw materials. Read more ...
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Compost Over two-thirds of the total waste produced in the United States is compostable, yet we still send 30 million tons of leaves and grass clippings to landfills every year. Read more ...
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Buy Less For many Americans, shopping is a form of recreation. But one with great cost if its for stuff we don't need, wastes precious resources and generates CO2 to produce, transport, and dispose of. Read more ...
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Footer Last Revised: December 8, 2009
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