Hello Hingham residents! In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share a few quick and easy tips that you can include in your daily life that make a big impact on the environment.
- Stay away from “fast fashion,” or cheap clothing that only gets used once or twice. It is a waste of money and terrible for the environment. Companies like Shein make millions of products every year and sell them for really cheap prices. Have you ever seen a piece of cheap clothing, bought it, and then realized it’s bad quality or that you don’t actually like it that much after all? What did you do with it? It’s easy to keep falling into the same trap and buy the same cheap clothes all over again. It is a waste of your hard-earned money, and all the manufacturing it takes to make the clothing involves way too many fossil fuels, water, and gasses for a singular t-shirt or dress. Shein alone creates about 6.3 million tons of carbon dioxide waste each year, and in the United States alone, we throw away about 2,150 pieces of clothing every SECOND. Instead of tossing cheap clothes in the landfill, try to shop from brands focused on sustainability, or even better, buy second hand from the Hingham Yard Sale!
- Reduce your water waste. It may sound simple, but it is actually one of the easiest and best ways to help the environment. Even little things like turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth or wash dishes, taking shorter showers, or running your sprinklers a little less, can make a big difference. Believe it or not, turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth can save up to 8 gallons a day – per person. That adds up to over 200 gallons a month! If your whole family makes this change, imagine how much water you could save. Of course this helps the environment, but it helps you too! It saves money on your water bill and can actually make a big difference in your yearly savings.
- Use alternatives to wrapping paper. It is a nice luxury, and it’s fun to rip it open when you get a gift. However, it is extremely harmful to the environment. Most wrapping paper can’t be recycled, so it goes straight into the trash, and about 2.3 million pounds of it wind up in landfills each year. Instead of wrapping paper, try using reusable gift bags, or wrap gifts in recyclable brown paper or reusable cloth. It may not look as pretty, but it makes a difference. However, it doesn’t have to be plain. Get creative and decorate it with stamps and designs, and make it fun and unique!
I hope you find these tips useful, and are able to include them in your daily routine. Thank you for reading, and I wish you all a Happy Earth Day!
Charlie Inglis
Hinghamite Charlie Inglis may only be in 6th grade, but he makes as much of an impact on the town as people who have lived here for generations. Charlie is a Green Living contributor for Hingham Anchor. When Charlie isn’t sharing his conservation and recycling tips, you might find him at Stars, Wompatuck or enjoying one of the countless athletic and arts activities he participates in.