Since we will be deliberating sustainability over the next few classes, I began thinking about little things that impact our environment. Yes, humans are pollutant. We tear down forests, we use up natural resources, we create lots of waste. But we can’t change all of these habits – people still need wood and gasoline. That part makes sense. However, there are some un-ecofriendly habits that don’t make as much sense. In particular, I’m talking about little things that create excessive waste that could very easily be avoided.

1) Letting the water run – I see this one a lot. When you’re brushing your teeth or scrubbing your face and you don’t need the water, why do you keep the faucet on? It’s not hard to turn the knob. And what’s more, people don’t shut the water off all the way so the faucet is left leaking for who knows how long.

2) Lights on during the day – True, there are many cases where lights are needed during the days. But what about signs outside establishments? If it’s bright enough outside to read the sign then using electricity to light the fluorescent bulbs in each letter is pointless.

3) Lights when no one’s around – One night, I drove by Acme (a grocery store) when it was closed. All the lights in the building were still on even though nobody was there. I guess, you might need a few lights here and there for security reasons. But you don’t need EVERY single light on?

4) Additional packaging – Who needs that extra little cardboard casing around a DVD? If it displays the same images as the plastic case, what purpose does it serve? The answer is none.

5) Not recycling – This is a bit inexcusable here at Penn State where there are recycling receptacle everywhere. It some cases, they’re right next to the trash cans. It doesn’t take much to sort some trash into a different bin.

When I see these occurrences happening around me, I get a litte annoyed. I know not everyone is environmentally conscious, but these things seem like no-brainers to me. Eliminating these poor habits doesn’t require much sacrifice. If anything, it just take some getting used to. So you don’t have to give up your car or turn off your heater to help the planet. Little things like this can make a difference. And if everyone were to alter their habits in these little ways, then it would make a big difference. The planet would be better off and Mother Nature would be happier.