There's no question that the earth is important. It's where we live, work, and raise our families. Sometimes issues like pollution and environmental responsibility seem too big to address. After all, we are talking about the entire world! The best that you can do to address these issues is to begin on your local level. Check out these five ways that you can encourage environmental safety and responsibility in your community.

Education
Education is crucial to the beginning of any environmental program. You should be sure to teach your own family how to be responsible, as well as share ideas and materials with your local schools and universities. Most importantly, educate yourself on what you can do every day to make a difference.

Start or Join a Program
Education doesn't stop in schools. If your town doesn't already have a recycling program in place, be prepared to present ideas to local councils. If you starting clean-up programs seems out of reach, research programs nearby. It may be possible to make share arrangements with county recycling agencies or to cut deals with local businesses for time and funding.

Group Up
Whether you take your family to the beach or attend community festivals, take advantage of groups! The best way to help the environment is to set an example. If you see trash while you are out on a hike or on the beach, pick it up and encourage your family to follow suit. Also, ask your city council to provide both trash and recycle bins for big events. When presented with options, people will usually do the right thing.

Encourage Corporate Responsibility
You are able to make choices about where the money you earn goes. Do your best to spend your money locally and with environmentally responsible companies. You can learn more about a company's environmental programs by visiting their websites. For example, a good website for this would be The Freo Group. By spending your money at responsible businesses, you are encouraging good behavior and setting an example for your community that can spread rapidly.

Use Your Influence
Do you own a business, head a book club, or organize extracurricular programs? Use the groups you are already a part of to spread awareness.


One person can do much more than you would think. By encouraging good environmental behavior and sharing information with others, your community can improve by leaps and bounds!