Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Celebrating Earth Day 2009 today – How Can We Each Make a Difference?

Individually we may not be able to reduce global warming, end pollution or save an endangered species, but there are simple ways we can help protect the environment and save Planet Earth. As a citizen, we can make wise choices about how we live, and the amount of energy and natural resources we consume. It is important that our local government and its leaders continue to look for ways to improve and protect our environment. Each of us living in Tredyffrin Township can make some simple changes that can make a difference. As a Board of Supervisor candidate, I support protecting our local natural resources and preserving our open space. I would like to see a community recycle program put in to place and would encourage Tredyffrin’s participation in ‘Recycle Bank’, http://www.recyclebank.com/ This program would take local government support and participation but all the township residents would benefit through reward programs (as an additional incentive) to recycle. Here are some of my suggestions and ways that my husband and I have made simple changes in our home:
1. Drive less. By leaving our car at home we reduce air pollution, improve our health and save money. Walk or ride a bicycle for short trips, or try using public transportation more often.
2. Use reusable shopping bags. It takes a lot of natural resources to produce plastic bags and these bags end up as litter that clogs waterways, adds negatively to the landscape and may be harmful to marine mammals. Reusable bags are made of materials that don’t harm the environment, and do not need to be discarded after each use.
3. Change our light bulbs. We have found that compact florescent bulbs are more energy efficient and less expensive to use than the traditional bulbs. They are safer to operate and can reduce energy costs. The initial cost may be higher but the return on investment is quickly recovered.
4. Pay bills online. By paying our bills online, we can save time and money, lower the administrative costs of companies that you do business with and reduce global warming by saving trees. Online billing also cuts down on the amount of paper that gets delivered to the mailbox each day.
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