Would you like to make our world a better place in which to live? Certainly, all of us who love the outdoors would answer that question with a resounding “yes!” There are many ways to attain such a lofty goal, including the following simple things you can do at home and afield to help our environment. Most cost almost nothing to implement. Many will actually save you money. All, no matter how inconsequential they appear, help combat specific environmental problems.
So why not get started? Let’s all do our part to help the environment.
Tips for anglers and boaters
Recycle fish you don’t intend to eat. Catch-and-release fishing lessens the ever-increasing demands placed on our fisheries resources.
Properly dispose of used fishing line. Thousands of animals die yearly after becoming entangled in carelessly discarded line. Other trash kills, too, including plastic six-pack rings, plastic bags, bottle caps, old fishing lures and cigarette butts. Don’t drop trash into the water, even if it sinks. Save the trash for proper disposal on land.
When wading, disturb the stream bed as little as possible to protect delicate habitats there.
Avoid purposely introducing non-native fish species or discarding unused live bait in favorite fishing waters. If an unwanted species gains a foothold, it can wreak havoc on natural ecosystems.
Be familiar with creel and length limits, and always follow them. Never take more or smaller fish than allowed by law. Limits are set to protect fish populations.
Avoid spilling fuel, as well as oil when filling your boat motor. These chemicals are deadly to aquatic life.
Tips for campers, hikers and other recreationists
To minimize human impact on trail systems, stick to marked trails, walk single file to avoid widening the trail, and don’t take shortcuts that in time will become well-worn paths.
When camping, always use existing, well-established sites when possible. If you have a choice, pick an area where vegetation will be least trampled. Don’t dig or trench in camp, and try to leave the area so natural looking that the next person can’t tell someone else camped there. Carry out everything you brought.
Build fewer campfires; carry a camper’s stove for cooking. If you must have a fire, build it in an existing fire ring or scar, or use a fire pit dug down to mineral soil. After the fire is completely out, scatter the ashes. Soil can then be replaced and watered. Don’t cut standing vegetation; use only dead wood on the ground for fuel.
Even if you don’t hunt or fish, buy hunting and fishing licenses and waterfowl stamps. Money from these sales are used to purchase wildlife habitat and to manage all Arkansas wildlife, game and nongame species alike.
Photographers should be careful not to disrupt normal wildlife activities. Nesting birds, endangered and threatened species, and large concentrations of waterfowl, deer and other animals on wintering grounds are especially susceptible to adverse impacts from human disturbance. Never compromise any animal’s well-being for the sake of a photograph.
Tips for everyone
Create a backyard wildlife refuge. By landscaping and planting with wildlife in mind, you can help make up for the loss of natural habitat.
Invest in insulation, weather-stripping and caulking for your home. Nearly half the energy used in homes goes “out the window” or through the attic, cracks or other leaks. Attic insulation alone can save 5 percent or more on heating costs, and 15 percent on air-conditioning costs. Local utilities often provide energy audits for little or no cost.
Start a compost pile to recycle organic waste such as leaves, grass and kitchen leftovers. Besides being a source of natural fertilizer, compost piles help cut down the amount of solid waste being dumped into crowded landfills.
Check your refrigerator temperature; it should be between 38 and 42 degrees. The freezer should be 0 to 5 degrees. If these appliances are 10 degrees colder than necessary, energy consumption can increase up to 25 percent.
Install low-flow aerators on faucets to save hot water. This also cuts water use by up to 280 gallons per month for a family of four. That’s 3,360 gallons annually for one family, so if the thousands of families reading this section of the newspaper install low-flow aerators, we could save hundreds of millions of gallons a year!
Use latex paint instead of oil-based paint for home-improvement projects. Not only is oil-based paint toxic, but the byproducts of manufacturing it are nasty pollutants such as sulfuric acid, heavy metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Paint and paint products account for 60 percent of the hazardous waste dumped by homeowners. Dispose of them properly.
Avoid unnecessary water use. Here are two easy tips. Don’t let the tap run while you shave or brush your teeth; you’ll save several gallons of water each time. Wash your car at a self-service car wash. This uses 5 to 10 gallons of water compared to the 150 you’ll use washing your car with a hose at home.
Cars have a serious impact on our environment, but we can all help lessen auto-related environmental problems. Buy fuel-efficient vehicles, and keep them running as efficiently as possible. Get regular tune-ups, keep fuel filters clean, and use properly inflated steel-belted radial tires to improve gas mileage.
Have your dogs and cats spayed or neutered. Don’t let them roam free. Thousands of free-roaming cats and dogs kill tremendous numbers of native animals yearly.
Look for alternatives to using herbicides and pesticides around your home. Most gardens and yards can be successfully managed without toxic chemicals.
Carpool to work. Sharing a ride reduces gas consumption and auto emissions. Many local governments recommend carpools and can help you start or join one.
Join, support and volunteer your time to organizations working on causes that are
important to you.
Pass along an environmental ethic. Set an example for your children, and tell them why it’s important for us all to be good stewards of our environment. Teaching youth to appreciate the outdoors is an important key to solving environmental problems.
Spread the word. Now that you’ve invested time reading this article, you’re aware of some of the ways one person can make a difference. Here’s another way: Pass this story on to other people, or at least pass on what you’ve learned. As you inspire friends and family, they’ll inspire others. Our ability to have a positive impact on the environment will grow proportionately.