Muskoka © Benedek
What You Can Do
Our planet’s natural environment is under unprecedented stress.
The good news is that there are many ways that you can contribute to restoring a healthy planet by reducing your environmental footprint.
These are some suggestions to get you started.
Floating litter © Duncan Rawlinson
Protect Wild Species
- Help turtles cross the road
- Help injured wildlife
- Stay on the trails and pick up litter when exploring one of our nature reserves
- Keep your cat indoors
- Join a local nature group
- Report your sightings to the Ontario Reptiles and Amphibians Atlas
- Support conservation work by donating to Ontario Nature
- Make your house bird friendly
Nesting snapping turtle © Julia Riley
Be a Responsible Consumer
- Buy FSC products
- Minimize your use of plastics (e.g. use reusable straws)
- Use your own shopping bags
- Buy items with less packaging
- Buy locally grown food
- Purchase energy efficient appliances
- Eat fewer foods that harm the environment (i.e. certain farmed salmon, palm oil, beef)
- Buy organic food
Reusable bag © Nathan Fixler CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Reduce Your Footprint at Home
- Use energy efficient LED light bulbs
- Make your garden or backyard pollinator friendly
- Recycle what you can’t reuse and compost organic waste
- Create a green roof or go solar
- Power your home with green energy
- Use cold water for washing and rinsing your laundry
- Unplug everything when not in use
- Donate used items in good condition
- Go paperless with bills, newsletters, magazines
Ruby-throated hummingbird and cardinal flower © Steven Severinghaus CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Be a Responsible Citizen
- Vote for candidates/parties with the most environmentally friendly platforms
- Vote for representatives in your municipality with an environmentally friendly voting record
- Contact your local councilor/MPP/MP to let them know you support a specific environmentally progressive measure
- Become an Advocate for Nature
- Encourage your family and friends to lessen their environmental footprint
- Encourage your employer to establish or enhance an environmentally friendly program
- Join Ontario Nature
A member signing the Protected Places Declaration © Noah Cole
On the Move
- Drive less and bike more
- Take public transit
- Walk if your able to
- Carpool when possible
- Bring your own cup and mug when on the go
- Fly less and offset your carbon emissions when you do fly
- Drive an electric or hybrid vehicle
- Bring a reusable container wherever you go
Foot, pedal and public transit © Nicola Betts, Queen's Printer for Ontario
What are some other ways that you can reduce your footprint? Read our #GreenStepByStep blog series for more tips.
2. #GreenStepByStep: reduce, reuse, recycle… refuse?
3. #GreenStepByStep: bugging out
4. #GreenStepByStep: Caring for the planet by caring for yourself
Healthy mature forest canopy © David Coulson