As we all know, this is Earth Month.  Our office has decided to celebrate by taking additional initiatives to reduce consumption and increase reusing.  In my celebration of the earth, I took on some personal endeavors that have paid off in a variety of ways.

Everyday this month, I have taken the stairs instead of the elevator.  This is at least twice a day, but should I need to use something on another floor, my stair use increases.  This helped me get more exercise in my day and inspired me to get back into the gym as well as cutting down on the electricity needed to run the elevator up and down!

I have also made a conscious effort to not drive as much.  This has had a few effects also.  It increased the number of strides I take each day (more steps in a day, that is), determined if I really needed to go someplace (groceries can really be stretched if you get creative… peanuts and rice aren’t so bad together) and given me a new appreciation for public transportation (also reminding me it’s been a rainy month here in Philadelphia.)

I brought my lunch every day.  This decreased my consumption even more.  I didn’t drive anywhere at lunch and I didn’t purchase any goods and I had to think about the next day.  I usually think in the moment, so this was a new lesson for me.

All in all, Earth Month slimmed me down (maybe), gave me more muscle mass (hopefully), helped me think in new and creative ways (potentially) and, of course, reduced my carbon footprint (definitely!).