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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, A pr il 21 ,2 02 2 | 20 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT metrolandparcelservices.ca IS YOUR BUSINESS GROWING? Growing your ecommerce business might seem overwhelming at first. And the last thing you want to worry about is getting your product into the hands of new customers. Metroland Parcel Services can help with timely, reliable shipping at competitive rates. Visit our website to learn more about how MPS can ease your growing pains. SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION Come Visit us! Open 8 am-6 pmweekdays & 8 am-12 pm Saturday - CLOSed sundays LIMITED STOCK. CALL IN AHEAD OR COME VISIT US TO CLAIM YOUR AUTOMOWER TODAY! Earth Day is a chance to make resolutions, just like New Year's Day. The best part is that positive actions have a ripple effect -- bet- ter planet, better health, better future. While we ur- gently need more action from governments, indus- try and the investment sec- tor, I still believe individual actions make a difference and I am inspired by social movements in history that have changed the world. Climate change is changing the world in the worst way, with extreme heat, food shortages, ris- ing oceans, loss of species and human suffering. Canada has some of the highest per capita emis- sions but has done less than many other nations for clean energy, either by phasing out dirty fuel or creating more resilient communities that can handle extreme impacts. My kids are passionate about taking action on cli- mate change -- it's their fu- ture. They want our family to watch how much we drive or bike, how much en- ergy we use, how much we buy new and how much plastic we use. Thinking about how much consump- tion there is in our society, our wants versus needs, has made us feel a responsi- bility to make our environ- mental footprint smaller. After asking about it, my kids found that wash- ing in cold water saves half a ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Using a drying rack in winter and a clothesline at other times of the year is less conve- nient, but saves another half-ton. We don't think about how it has created new habits or saves money on energy -- we just notice the smell of sunshine! Our kids asked us to or- der an electric vehicle for Christmas instead of pre- sents and so we are saving by making holidays sim- pler, avoiding purchasing things that we don't really need and lowering our en- ergy bills with smart me- ters and the efficient use of appliances, lights and the furnace. The electric car will save five tons of green- house gas emissions (GHGs) and will become a new normal within a gen- eration. Running a gas-powered lawn mower for an hour emits the same GHGs as driving 550 kilometres and more toxic pollution than idling 40 new cars for an hour. We now use an elec- tric mower and leave half our yard unmowed for bees and butterflies. Some of the hardest habits to change are about food. Hundreds of studies confirm that the impacts of clearing land, raising, packaging and shipping meat globally has a mas- sive impact on our planet. Beef, dairy and other foods we love are now looked at in a new way. Can we buy less, buy local? Budget to buy organic? Can beef be- come an exception, like my kids ask for their birthday dinners? While we have added vegetarian recipes, more fish and low-meat dishes, our culture pushes convenience foods with major health consequenc- es. By shifting how we look at these "treats" and think- ing about gourmet, local or homemade foods in new ways, we are helping the earth. If 60 per cent of food produced is wasted in homes, restaurants and grocery stores, shouldn't we just buy less, eat what we buy and compost scraps into soil? Making resolutions once a year makes every day Earth Day. Our actions show governments and companies that we want a better planet and are will- ing to change. What we buy and how we live is all part of the global ripple effect. Dr. Becky Pollock, exec- utive director of the Geor- gian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere, works with partners in eastern Geor- gian Bay to uphold the UNESCO designation for the region with programs for education, conserva- tion, climate and culture. Visit gbbr.ca to learn more. EARTH DAY: MAKE AN EARTH DAY RESOLUTION OPINION Earth Day 2022 TIPS FROM THE DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION • A house with a furnace is like a car that idles all day. Swap your furnace for a heat pump, which works by extracting heat from one location and transferring it to another. • Install a programmable thermostat. • Swap your gas stove for an electric stove, which will also lower indoor air pollution. • Unplug computers, TVs and other electronics when you're not using them. • Wash clothes in cold water. Hang-dry your clothes when you can and use dryer balls when you can't. • Look for the Energy Star label when buying new appliances. • Winterize your home to prevent heat from escaping and try to keep it cool in the summer without an air conditioner. • Change to energy-efficient light bulbs. • Get a home or workplace energy audit to identify where you can make the most energy-saving gains. BECKY POLLOCK Column