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As the human population continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important that everyone do their part in caring for the environment. Sometimes, all it takes is a few small changes to make a big impact. So keep in mind a few of these sustainable initiatives and easy eco hacks to help the environment.
Save Your Mascara Wands to Help Animals in Need
The next time you run out of mascara, make sure to save those wands! Organizations like Wands for Wildlife recycle wands to help care for wild animals. The bristles of old mascara wands are perfect for removing fly eggs and larvae from the fur and feathers of furry friends, giving them a second chance at life in the wild
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Save a Sea Turtle & Bring Your Own Grocery Bags
People use nearly 5 trillion single-use plastic bags every year. Many of these bags end up ingested by sea turtles that mistake the bags for jellyfish (poor things!) You can easily cut back on plastic use by using reusable grocery bags when shopping, and cutting back on all single use plastics.
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Donate Towels, Newspaper, & Bedding to Animal Shelters
If you thought your old newspapers and linens weren’t good for anything but the bin, think again! Turn your trash into treasure by donating old newspapers, blankets, and towels to your local animal shelter. “Newspapers are huge for us! We shred it for bedding for the animals,” Kathy Apokov, director of marketing and development at PAWS Atlanta, told Earth911.
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Sell or Donate The Things You Don’t Need
The saying goes: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Rather than throwing out old cell phones, appliances, clothes, toys, and other things you don’t need, try donating or selling them instead. Local churches, community centers, thrift stores, and nonprofit organizations may accept a range of donated items such as used books, working electronics and unneeded furniture
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Use Reusable Filters to Brew Coffee
You might love the convenience and flavor of a coffee pod, but these pint-sized plastic capsules create a lot of waste. Campaign director of Greenpeace USA, John Hocevar, told USA Today, "Coffee pods are one of the best examples of unnecessary single-use plastics that are polluting our planet. Many end up getting incinerated, dumping poison into our air, water, and our soil.” When the plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, it chokes and kill wildlife. So rather than contribute to the plastic waste, go for a reusable pod when preparing your morning brew or choose a filter coffee maker instead.
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