Giving for the greater good

​Lilian Norris has worked in education and volunteered for the greater good for much of her life. She believes in promoting sustainable practices and environmental education and will donate a portion of future book sales to these causes - to help people and the planet. The crowdfunding pledges (pre-sales) of this book in the spring of 2020 will facilitate book donations to libraries, nature centers, and environmental education organizations through her Kickstarter campaign. She will also donate books to libraries of Title I schools if this campaign is successful.
- Coming soon! 

​Dreaming and acting to make a positive difference!

You can make a difference too!

10+ Actions to Make a Positive Impact:

There are so many ways that each one of us can contribute to make a positive difference which will help our health, pocket books, communities, environment and planet. All of our little actions add up in a big way when we take into account the actions of hundreds, thousands, and millions of people.

The best first step is to just realize why these things matter. Do an assessment to calculate your ecological footprint. (This is your general impact on the Earth. Please keep in mind that this is just a ballpark and not complete). The next step is to choose one or more of these actions below to make a difference. Once a new habit becomes routine, then try to tackle another one of these actions on the list. Changing your habits is not an easy process. So, don't get discouraged if you have trouble with any one of them. Just keep trying and you will succeed!

1. Think before you buy. — Choose sustainable products. Vote with your wallet.

• Do you really need it?
• Think about the impact of manufacturing the product.
• What will happen to it after you use it?
• Will it decompose or will it still be around for a thousand years?
• If you have no idea whether a product would be sustainable or not, learn more about it so you can make wiser decisions that will make an impact now and on future generations.
• Shop locally.

2. Waste not! Reduce, reuse, and recycle (3Rs have grown into 7Rs!).

• Rethink (from above)
• Refuse (Say no to the bag, straw and unnecessary stuff. Carry your own cloth bags, bottle, and mug instead.)
• Reduce (Buy in bulk to reduce packaging. Try to use sustainable containers like glass jars, waxed paper, etc.)
• Reuse (If you no longer have a use for something, don't send it to the landfill. Donate it to someone who can use it.)
• Recycle (Recycle as many kinds of products as you are allowed in your area. Be sure to follow the rules for your recycle collector. Not everything can be recycled.)
• Repurpose (Turn your trash to treasures by turning them into something else.)
• Rot (Compost your organic trash in a bin, a heap, or under a bush. Don't throw your leaves into the trash. It will biodegrade and can provide you with nutrient-rich soil for your landscaping beds and vegetable garden. )

3. Conserve water. 

• Try not to waste water. It is a precious resource, even though it can seem plentiful.
• Use water saving devices and tactics, like low flow shower heads, more efficient toilets, try to take shorter showers, and don't run the water while you are brushing your teeth.
• Make your plants happy by dumping unused drinking or cooking water outside instead of down the drain.
• Fix leaky faucets.
• Saving water will save you money.

4. Conserve electricity.

• Use energy efficient and long-lasting light bulbs. 
• Turn lights and appliances off when not in use. Unplug devices to complete disconnect them.
• Install insulation and weather stripping to make your home more energy efficient.
• Have an energy audit done to see where you can save energy and money. With rising electric bills, saving energy makes sense and cents!
• Install solar panels or wind generators to make electricity for free.

5. Plant native trees.

• Trees cool the earth and cool your home, which save you money.
• Trees help you and the planet by providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide, which also helps mitigate climate change and global warming.

6. Plant a native butterfly garden, a wildlife garden, or a vegetable garden.

• Plant native plants to your area that will attract and benefit your local wildlife.
• Plant an organic raised bed garden to provide you with delicious fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Learn what plants are invasive exotic nuisances and avoid purchasing them.
• Use organic fertilizers and avoid poisons in your yard. What you do in your yard affect your whole watershed.

7. Drive less and carpool more. Bike and walk more.

• Cars that run on gasoline pollute our air carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic gases, not to mention oil and other chemical leaks.
• Not only will you be doing the planet and your local community a favor in reducing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and air pollution (which creates smog and health problems), but you will also get more fit and healthy by doing so.

8. Eat more plants.

• Eat lower on the food pyramid.  Plants are at the bottom of the pyramid; meat is at the top. Cultivating plants requires fewer natural resources and this is less polluting to our environment.
  
•  higher plant-based diet is not only more Earth-friendly, but it is healthier for your body, too!

9. Commit.

• Make a pledge and commit to changing a few habits, and then keep adding more.
• Be very intentional in your goals.
• Don't give up if you are having trouble or slacking. Just keep trying! Doing a little positive actions are better than not doing any. Try a few other areas that you can do better, so you can at least feel good about those.

10. Volunteer.

• Volunteer for land cleanups, roadside cleanups or beach/river cleanups in your community. 
• Help remove invasive exotic plants from parks and roadsides with organized plant pulling events. Learn what is native and exotic in your area.
• Sign up for community plantings to plant native trees or plants in buffer zones or to control erosion.
• Help at your community nature parks, environmental centers, or with local environmental education organizations.
• Volunteer at one of your local schools and plant a butterfly garden.

11. Pass it on!

• Share your good deeds with your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers.
• Educate others why our actions matter, not only now but for future generations.
• Being a good steward of our communities and our planet is a necessary function if we all want to live in harmony and have a sustainable future.

Interested in learning more about environmental sciences? ​ Click here.