Regardless in which continent you live we all have one thing in common, we share the same planet. Regardless if you believe in climate change or you think is a hoax one thing we can all agree on is that we have to take care of our natural resources, after all who does not like to enjoy a beautiful sunset, a walk on the beach, eating seafood or the simple pleasure of a cool afternoon in the desert? We all have something we like about the environment and we all depend on our planet for our existence

Because the planet is a “common good” many of us take it for granted. Many people demand that our governments and big corporations do more to protect our environment and our natural resources; and while is true that those in leadership positions can do more than most of us, the truth is that each and every one of us can do more to protect our planet. We are all called to protect our natural resources and protect those animals and plants that cannot protect themselves.

We are going to have a footprint on the environment, and we are going to consume resources; but here are three areas we can all work on to help the planet and thus help ourselves:

• Reduce: we all have room for improvement in this area, how many car trips do we take a day? Can we combine errands and reduce the use of our vehicles? Can we use a bike for short trips? Can we spend less time at the shower? Sure, we can find ways to cut our impact, especially when 40% of the food we buy ends up in the trash.
• Reuse:  every time we reuse, we are saving resources, while there is an environmental impact in getting those goods ready to be reusable, generally speaking, that impact is less than getting a new good. So, if you enjoy coffee in the morning maybe you can get a refillable mug.
• Recycle: if you have to use disposables items, make sure you recycle. While we have done significant improvements in our recycling capabilities there is plenty or room for improvement. Even in this day and age 91% of the plastic is not recycled and ends up on landfills, oceans or deserts. We can all do better, and we should all do better.

The time is now, and the place is here, we are all called to protect our planet, our natural resources, the animals and the plants that share our amazing home called earth. I am asking you to think about what you can do to reduce your environment footprint. Here are additional resources and ideas about what you can do to help our planet:

10 Ways to Take Care of the Environment

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2002/aug/22/worldsummit2002.earth21

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