Posts Tagged ‘green tips’

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Challenge Idea: Find News Online Or Swap Paper Editorials Friday, February 26th, 2010 It’s nice to be on the email lists of various bloggers.  Reduce Footprints, which I have mentioned in previous posts, is one of my favorites.  Many of the “green” sites today can have a pompous air, but Reduce Footprints is humbled in its approach.  It provides its readers with a doable weekly challenge cleverly dubbed, Change The World Wednesdays. Last week, I came up with a Challenge idea based on one of Reduce Footprints’ interesting posts.  They liked it so much, they took advantage of it: This week’s challenge was suggested by our bloggy friend Heather, from Earth Promise, after reading Monday’s post on books. I think it’s a fantastic idea! Here’s her challenge: Think of all that we read on a daily basis, whether it be magazines, newspapers, books, etc. I propose that for one week we do not purchase a newspaper, magazine, book, but rather swap with someone or find your news online…… It’s a wonderful challenge! Thanks, Reduce Footprints!  Here are just a smattering of the responses received: • Maurie Kirschner accepted the challenge but then, the current issue of Vegetarian Times came out … and well … she caved! However, she did a few other Eco-friendly activities that day which you can read about HERE.  Maurie says she failed and succeeded, all in less than an hour. I think the successes won! • EcoGrrl  joined us. Once she realized that it took her 10 minutes to get through a $5.00 magazine, she decided to stop buying them. She’s also tired of receiving those unwanted news supplements so she’s calling the Oregonian and asking them to stop delivering them. • Ange  found a blog that swaps magazines. She received two vintage Martha Stewart’s in exchange for a couple of French magazines … and she is offering to swap French magazines with anyone who is interested. How cool is that! She also suggested putting up a sign in a local café to start a book swap club … members swap books and hold occasional meetings to discuss what is being read. Great idea … and sounds like fun! To read all of the fabulous comments and ideas received on Reduce Footprints, click here. Here is a peek at the next Challenge: Let’s jump right into this week’s challenge! We’re going to do one more paper-reducing challenge and then, we’ll move onto something else next week (I can hear you cheering … lol). Here you are:  Receiving and paying paper bills is a lot of paper and a lot of waste … not to mention resources getting the bill to and from one’s home. So, this week sign up to receive at least one paperless bill and pay it online. If you’re not sure how to do this, contact the biller for instructions. Or … If this is something you already do, please write a post about all the benefits of paying bills online. Are you willing to give it a go? Tags: carbon footprint, CFLs, change, changes, climate change, disposal, earth, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-blogger, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, mercury, nature, organic, recycle, reduce, reduce footprints, reuse Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Lights Out on March 27, 2010 Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 Just imagine: everyone globally taking part in an effortless task that makes a noble statement.  Simply turning out the lights for one hour.  This bold gesture sheds light on the draconian effects of climate change: rising global temperatures, more frequent droughts and flooding, rising sea levels, glacier meltings, change of ecosystems, etc .  Everywhere around our big blue marble on March 27th, from 8:30 to 9:30pm, make a stand and take part in Earth Hour and flip the switch.  Earth Hour began three years ago capturing the world’s attention “ Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.”  Prominent landmarks around the world took part in 2009’s Earth Hour raising awareness about the devastating effects of climate change.  Here are some of the familiar sights that participated: • Empire State Building • Brooklyn Bridge • Broadway Theater Marquees • Las Vegas Strip • United Nations Headquarters • Golden Gate Bridge • Seattle’s Space Needle • Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple • Gateway Arch in St. Louis • Great Pyramids of Giza • Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens • Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro • St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City • Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London • Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris • Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube • Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong • Sydney’s Opera House So mark it on your calendar: March 27th, 8:30pm.  Enjoy the darkness knowing you are part of the global effort to raise awareness about climate change. For more detailed information on how you can get your city involved in Earth Hour, visit, My Earth Hour. Also let your children in on the global action.  Earth Hour Kids   invites children and teens to participate in this climate changing event as well. Tags: 2010, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, community, earth, earth day, Earth hour, Earth Hour Kids, eco-friendly, ecological, energy efficient, environment, environmental, global, global warming, green, green changes, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, March 27, promise Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

FLOW:For Love of Water Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 “This notion that we will have water forever is wrong” “It’s not a democratic issue; it’s not a republican issue; it’s a people issue…” “CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?”   FLOW (For Love of Water), a poignant documentary that opened back in 2008, is now available on DVD.  FLOW highlights not only the impoverished nations and the corporate take-over of their water systems, but  also the effects it has on wealthy nations.  Access to clean drinking water needs to be (again) everyone’s fundamental right.  Unfortunatley, still today people are being told that water is “safer” if bottled (by the big corporations).   Irena Salina, a French native and documentary filmmaker, builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.   To learn more about Salina’s inspired, yet unsettling documentary, visit http://www.flowthefilm.com/ To watch the tailer, click here Tags: bottled water, carbon footprint, change, changes, clean water, climate change, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, FLOW, flowthefilm, global warming, green, green changes, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, water, water bottles, water conservation, water pollution Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

World Water Crisis Thursday, January 21st, 2010 It is so easy to take everyday essentials for granted:  I am fortunate to be able to wake up in my own bed, with a roof over my head; there is fresh food in my refrigerator and I have plenty of clean water to drink and bathe with.  As of recently, we are reminded daily (hourly?!) of these necessities to live; especially following the shocking earthquake that has turned Haiti upside down.  (The other day Earth Promise posted  how we can help Haiti after the devastating earthquake that occurred.) Let’s take something as indispensable as water, whether it be for drinking or bathing.  I was listening to NPR early this morning and one company, Shelterbox.org, sponsored by service clubs such as Rotary Clubs, has been sending large sealed boxes containing various contents (depending on the disaster ) to Haiti. The Shelterboxes are providing Haitians with such items such as tents, blankets, mats and water purifying tablets.  Although each item included in the Shelterbox is greatly appreciated and used, the water tablets are invaluable. “water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (Each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months).” It is difficult to fathom that a first world countries’ water supply is waning.  It is easy to push these gloomy thoughts to lesser developed countries, like Haiti, Africa, or India.  Although we constantly hear that three quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water, you would think the process of the water cycle would allow the balance of water on the earth to remain constant.  The big problem is that we are consuming and utilizing water faster than Mother Nature can replenish for us. Over the past years, the environmental movement has focused more on the emissions of greenhouse gasses, air pollution, pesticides in our food, and trying to eliminate plastics from our daily routine compared to our dwindling water supply.  But if you do some research, water is inextricably linked to all of the above.  We need to stop using more water and take the time to figure out how to use less. Here are some water crisis activists that we admire.  Some have even been featured on our Earth Promise blogs and interviews: Christopher Swain,  who is creating a healthy ocean planet through education.   Change Agent, Denise Russo produces events and concerts that raise $$ and awareness for the global water crisis. Alexandra  Cousteau “a globally recognized advocate on water quality and policy, continues the work of her renowned grandfather Jacques Yves and father Philippe Cousteau. At 32, she has already mastered the remarkable storytelling tradition handed down to her through the generations, and has the unique ability to draw audiences into the weighty issues of policy, politics, and action.  Alexandra is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and a CNN International Principal Voice, a graduate of Georgetown University, and a lifelong explorer and activist. She established Blue Legacy in 2008, an organization dedicated to inspiring people around the world to take action on critical water issues.” A young student from Dubai International School travelled to the India-Bangladesh border to raise awareness about water conservation.   He made a short video clip illustrating, via photos, the devastating effects of un-sanitized water.  His goal is to make people empathize through his captivating photography.  He states, “They bathe, they drink, they excrete and they urinate in the exact same pond or lake…” Unfortunately, the photos this young student took could have been in any one of the many poor countries in the world.    It is time to truly look at how we use (or shall I say, waste?) water.  How long are we in the shower?  By now, it should be second nature to brush our teeth without the faucet running.  What do we do with that half consumed water bottle?  Are your sprinklers on a timer? Try to imagine your life without a clean water supply: how will you flush your toilets, bathe, wash dishes, water your plants? Earth Promise offers a plentitude of simple ideas  on how you can reduce your water consumption. But more needs to be done.  The disaster in Haiti has given a new focus to our water crisis. Time to do your research: not only make an effort to lessen your water consumption but see how you can participate in creating safe water supplies in developing countries.   Below are some sites that offer such information:   Global Water   The Water Project Water Missions International   Charity: Water Tags: air pollution, american red cross, AmeriCares, carbon footprint, change, changes, clean water, climate change, Direct Relief International, Doctors Without Borders, donations, earth, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, earthquake, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, environment, environmental, global warming, green, green changes, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, greenhouse gasses, haiti, helping haiti, International Medical Corps, Operation USA, renewable energy, Save the Children, Shelterbox, sustainable, The Salvation Army, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, water bottles, water conservation, water pollution, World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Happy Holidays! Thursday, December 24th, 2009 Happy Holidays from all of us at Earth Promise!  We are taking some time off to be with our families, but don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2010!   Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Tags: earth promise, earthpromise, environment, global warming, green, green changes, green living, green tips Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Wrap-n-Mat Gets a Thumbs Up! Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 For as long as my girls have been in school, I (on occasion they, too) pack their lunches.  Over the years, I have purchased diverse types of reusable containers and yes, I’ll admit, even used the Zip Lock baggies.   The first of my reusable purchases was this fabulous cube-like contraption from the Container Store called the Klip Lunch cube . I bought mine over 4 years ago, which only came in a clear color.  Now you can choose from a variety of colors and it touts that it is BPA free.  It is a bit bulky, so finding the right lunch box can be a challenge.  Also, with the worry regarding plastics, this may not be an option for you.   I have done some hands-on research and used a myriad of bags, containers and water bottles for my girls’ lunches.  Back in August of this year, I blogged about Zero-Trash Lunch Concepts  and was intrigued by the Wrap-n-Mat.  Wrap-n-Mat  is just what is says: a reusable place mat that doubles as a wrapper for your food.  Sometimes even the small reusable containers may be too cumbersome in your child’s lunch bag.  This money-saving, washable food wrapper is perfect for those multi-portioned lunches.   I contacted the company as I wanted to test out their wares.  Quickly, I was mailed one eco-designed wrapper, perfect for sandwiches and one dark green pouch  ideal for snacks such as pretzels, crackers, or an apple.  Both Wrap-n-Mats are lined with a clear plastic barrier to keep the cloth from getting soggy and  the site claims “that (the mats)clean up completely without any fabric weave or pores that can harvest bacteria.”  My girls were excited and began to squabble over who was getting what wrapper in their lunches.  Since my older daughter was an avid peanut butter-banana-and honey sandwich eater, she was the lucky winner of the larger sandwich wrapper.  It was easy to fold:  fold both sides in, then fold the bottom up and seal with the Velcro.  My younger daughter liked the idea of using pretzels for her Wrap-n-Mat Pouch since the website uses them in their demonstration.  The closing was not as easy.  According to the presentation on the site, the sides are to fold in forming a nice pouch, where no small snack pieces can escape.  Mine left small gaps at the bottom corners.  No matter how I tried to refold it, it wouldn’t close completely.  We opted to use it for an apple.  The Wrap-n-Mat Pouch can be used for smaller sandwiches or larger snacks, but for items such as oyster crackers or goldfish crackers, this may not be the best item to use. Clean up was easy!  The few crumbs (and crust) left in the Wrap-n-Mat were tossed (into your compost if you have!) and then with a wet cloth wiped clean.  Viola! My girls and I really love the Wrap-n-Mat.  Not only is it perfect for school lunches, but also for the beach, picnics or wherever you bring your lunch or snacks.  This dual purpose product (reusable food container–good for the earth and placemat—good to keep germ-free) is perfect.  What a safe feeling knowing your child’s lunch is not sitting directly on his/her desk or lunch table! For more information, visit Wrap-n-Mat Tags: BPA free, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, earth, earth day, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, energy efficient, entrepreneur, environment, environmental, global warming, green, green changes, green claims, green company, green living, green practice, green practices, green tips, lunch, money-saving, placemat, renewable energy, reusable, sustainable, waste, waste-free, water bottles, zero-waste, zip lock Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Waste-Free Lunch Gift Ideas With A 15% Coupon Monday, December 7th, 2009 Kids and their parents are becoming more aware of the amount of waste produced via school lunches. My daughters’ school has set up recycling bins in the cafeteria for water bottles.  There are even Terracycle  bins accessible so the children can keep chip bags, cookie wrappers and juice pouches out of the landfills.  A big challenge with many school’s are the polystyrene lunch trays. They are damaging to the Earth since they are made from oil, and when they are thrown away, they usually end up in landfills. Some schools may recycle these trays, but then they are made into other products that end up getting tossed into landfills anyway. Let’s think about the amount of school children who bring their lunches to school.  The magnitude of waste can be staggering.  According to Kids Konserve, an informational website dedicated to waste-free lunch kits and other reusable products: • Children’s lunches create 3.5 billion pounds of garbage each year • 18,760 pounds of trash is generated annually from one average elementary school • 80% of the 31 billion single serving plastic water bottles Americans use each year end up in landfills • It takes a 15 year old tree to produce 700 brown paper bags Below is an impressive list from KidsKonserve  containing useful and eco-friendly gifts for those lunch toting children (and adults, too!).  Be sure to visit their site as it is filled with other reusable products to purchase, educational facts about plastics , and contests for kids. For our special Earth Promise readers, Kids Konserve has set up a 15% coupon code “promise” valid until 12/31/09.   Think Non-Toxic and Sustainable For All Holiday Gifts this Season!   Put meaning in the greening this holiday season.  Want to make this a truly eco-friendly holiday for your family and friends?  Our Kids Konserve’s gift guide features the season’s best non-toxic and sustainable gifts.  Whether you are the green guru of the house, or you’re struggling to find a gift for one, you’ll find selections that you can be proud to give.    Hostess & Teacher Gifts:  Thinking about what to give to the hostess of the party, your child’s teacher, hairdresser, neighbor gift, what to bring to the cookie/gift exchange….  Tired of giving out candles?  Here are some great ideas hanging from the tree (below) at great prices.   As seen in Entrepreneur Magazine: The Greening of Lunch/Greening of Holidays                                            The Kids Konserve 2009 Gift Guide – 12 Earth Friendly Holiday Solutions    1. Set of 304 Food Grade Leak-Proof Stainless Steel Containers for life. 2.  Reusable Party Pak for the Classroom.  Take the trash out of the bash! 3.   Nesting Trio Leak-Proof Stainless Steel Containers, all the right sizes                     and easy to store! 4.  Cotton Napkins – Save a tree and use these at your family dinners. Pick                      from squiggle, caterpillar, or butterfly patterns. 5.  Food Kozies - The reusable wrap for homemade cookies, peanut brittle,                      or brownies. 6.  Waste-Free Lunch Kits – Give a Kid a Kit (choose your style, pattern, or                      create your own). 7. Bottles – No Liners! Non-Toxic Stainless Steel bottles.  One for everyone in the                      family. 8.  Minis – From nuts to jelly beans, you can always find something to put in these! 9.  Drawstring bags – Great gift wrap, for a bottle of wine or on the go snacks, or                      a great anytime bag. 10.  Snack Paks - Perfect for light lunches and on the go snacks. 11.   Green Cleaning – Greenwood Naturals!  Biodegradable and Non-Toxic! 12.  12 oz. Insulated Thermos - Going beyond the Sandwich! Endless options! Kids Konserve featured on View from the Bay!   Kids Konserve wishes you a very Happy, Green, and Eco-Friendly Holiday! www.kidskonserve.com Don’t forget the generous 15% coupon! Be sure to type in “promise” when it asks for the coupon code. Tags: carbon footprint, change, change the world, changes, children, climate change, disposal, earth, earth promise, earthpromise, eco-blogger, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, kids, landfills, lunch trays, nature, organic, recycle, reduce, reduce footprints, reuse, school, school lunches, Terracycle, waste, waste-free lunch kits Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Water Saving Trends Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 I came across the blog, Pays To Live Green ,via a top 10 favorite of mine, Reduce Footprints .  Pays To Live Green’s “major aspect (is) to focus on different ways you can save money by going ‘green’”.  One of my green pearls of wisdom that I share with friends about making an Earth Promise  is to plug the drain in the tub before turning on the water instead of waiting for it to get warm.  A very simple task that we take for granted.  Just think of the wasted water spiraling down the drain; and just so our bath gets warmer a bit quicker?  Yesterday, Pays To Live Green  posted, “Save Water While Waiting For It To Warm” which focuses on wasted water when waiting for the shower water to warm. Why does it take so long? There are three main reasons why it takes longer to get warm water in certain households: • Distance of Water Heater: This reason makes complete sense as the farther the water heater is from a faucet, the longer warm water will take to reach it. • Diameter of Pipes: Smaller pipes mean that less water has to flow to faucets.  This means that less water has to be heated and therefore it will arrive much faster. • Flow Rate: Since less water is delivered using low-flow showerheads and faucets, more cold water is sitting in the pipes.  This cold water will take longer to flush out before warm water can arrive. The latest trend in household construction is to make larger pipes and to use lower flow rate faucets and showerheads.  This combination delivers hot water the slowest.  In some situations, it can take as long as a few minutes. To read the post in its entirety, click here. Here are some other quick water saving tips: Try not to pre-rinse dishes before placing in dishwasher unless necessary Turn water off while brushing teeth Shave while in shower; or don’t shave as often Get low-flush toilet installed and cut down on the excessive toilet flushing: If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.   Tags: carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, earth, earth 911, earth promise, earth share, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, eco-products, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, green vacations, local produce, money, money saving tips, Pays to Live Green, planet green, recipes, recycle, reduce, reduce footprints, reuse, sustainable Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

How To Spend Your Green When You Travel Green Monday, November 30th, 2009 This past Friday, a.k.a., Black Friday was the traditional start of in-store holiday shopping.  If you were one who ventured out the day after Thanksgiving, you are one brave soul!  For the mall-loathing, dedicated on-line shoppers, today is becoming yet another traditional shopping day—Cyber Monday.  Whether you decided to stay home today and find the best on-line deals or take various breaks throughout your work day, Cyber Monday is no doubt more up my alley! Before you visit the shopping sites, though, it would be wise to be well-informed about the gifts you plan to purchase.  Practical Travel Gear offers reviews of truly affordable, useful eco-products.  One handy item, Light for Life, is a convenient little travel gadget that “takes a tiny amount of electricity and turns it into hours of light. What makes this 5.11 Tactical  really special is that it charges up in just 90 seconds—in your car!”  Although it has many uses, Light For Life is perfect for those considerate individuals who stay up a bit later in the hotel room reading.  Practical Travel Gear also has a post reviewing the “5 Things I Always Pack”  which reviews functional and affordable products.  Do you pack an extra reusable tote for your vacation purchases?   How about a lightweight towel? The Cruising Caddy Water Bottle Carrier is the ideal bring along since many of us are used to having our water bottle in tow.  Now you can take photos or take a walking tour with that ubiquitous drinking vessel.  According to Tim Leffel,  the travel gear extraordinaire:  “The tourist and the water bottle are now joined as one. So if you’re going to carry one of these around all day every day on your trip, why not make it work for you?  That’s the idea behind the Cruising Caddy, a water bottle holder that goes beyond double-duty. It’s got an open pocket with elastic on one side to hold items that aren’t valuable, a Velcro closure one on the other side to hold things you can’t lose, a hidden smaller pocket inside that, and a metal carabiner clip on the side to hold your keys or to clip the whole thing to a belt loop. Oh, and it holds a water bottle—up to 1.5 liters. There’s even a water bottle cooler sleeve included that you can wrap around to keep the bottle cold longer or keep your hands dry.” Check out the other earth-friendly product reviews that are easy additions to your travels and help you leave a smaller footprint.  Since many people are seriously prioritizing their gift funds, some may opt out of tangible gifts this year and spend their money of some great green vacations.  I highly reccommend visiting Perceptive Travel  when deciding on your destination.  Perceptive Travel “is an online travel magazine that is home to interesting and award-winning stories from some of the best travel writers on the planet. It wins top awards on a regular basis and is a staple of “best travel writing” anthologies.”  If you covet authentic travel tales and unique destination ideas without the commercialism, Perceptive Travel is for you. Be sure to also visit the Earth Promise store for other great gift ideas!! Tags: black friday, carbon footprint, change, changes, climate change, cyber monday, earth, earth 911, earth promise, earth share, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, eco-products, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, green vacations, local produce, nutritious family, on-line deals, perceptive travel, planet green, practical travel gear, recipes, recycle, reduce, reusable bags, reuse, sustainable, thanks, travel, travel gear Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

An Eye-Opening Experiment Friday, November 20th, 2009 Being that I live in south Florida, just a few miles away from the beach, finding The Daily Ocean blog  hits home.  I take full advantage of my coastal proximity and use the beach as nature’s playground for my girls and a place of solace when I need a fix.  Just this past September 19th , my family and I partook in the International Coastal Cleanup.  Although my girls were initially not overjoyed to be picking up “garbage”  on an early Saturday morning, seeing, collecting, and documenting the abundance of plastic and trash for ourselves reminded us that the problem is real, not just something we hear and read about, and the solution is up to us. Sara Bayles, ceramics teacher in Santa Monica, California, is the author of The Daily Ocean.  This blog was born from a personal question: “I asked myself this question – How many pounds of trash could I collect from the beach if I did it for one year?”  Sara is realistic: she plans to pick-up beach trash for 365 non-consecutive days. Her latest post  from November 15, 2009 marks Day 75.  Kudos to you, Sara!  To date, she has personally collected 341.03 pounds of trash.  The Daily Ocean is adorned with photos of Sara’s finds (some of which are quite gruesome) and also sprinkled with scientific information such as ocean acidification.  It is unlikely not to get inspired by visiting The Daily Ocean.  I plan to keep some large garbage bags and rubber gloves handy in my beach bag!  Thanks for the inspiration, Sara! Tags: agents, carbon footprint, change, changes, clean water, climate change, earth, earth promise, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, garbage, global, global warming, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, international coastal cleanup, ocean, ocean habitats, organic, recycle, reduce, reuse, Sara Bayles, swim, the daily ocean, trash, water pollution Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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