Blog Action Day is a free annual event that has run since 2007. Its aim is to unite the world’s bloggers by posting about the same issue, on the same day — October 16 — in order to raise awareness and trigger a positive global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all, raises awareness or even funds not-for-profits associated to the theme issue. This year’s theme is “Human Rights.” Make sure to read our other #BAD13 posts here. When I think about human rights, no matter where my train of thought may drift, I always come back to the basics. The necessities of living consist of food, shelter and clothing. All of these essentials are nearly impossible without one thing: a clean environment. Whether one might be biting into a cheeseburger, or enjoying a home-cooked chicken and vegetable medley, all of these items begin with ingredients. The tomato on the burger and vegetables in the stir-fry are grown and nurtured from the ground. Yet, none of this is served on a plate if the water that hydrates the plants is contaminated with chemicals or an overflowing landfill sits nearby. As responsible citizens it is our duty to dispose of our waste properly. We cannot let our water streams or crop areas be polluted with garbage. When we destroy the environment, we destroy the elements and materials that provide our basic needs. We can do this job properly not only by throwing our trash in the garbage, but also by becoming resourceful and discovering new ways to best care for the environment. Before we buy a brand new pair of pants, think of the pair you might be throwing away. The pants are probably made of precious cotton, polyester and a little spandex. Trashing this fabric would take years to decompose, but what if these materials were recycled? When it comes to clothing, recycling fabric is not the first thing we usually think about. Depositing this item at the curb or at a local recycling location not only reduces landfill space, but also allows it to be repurposed into other reusable items. In addition to our food and clothing, we forget about how to take care of our shelter. Our homes require precious resources every time we decide to rebuild or remodel, and often times the materials we replace end up in the nearest landfill. From minor to major home improvements, there are ways to both create a sustainable environment and achieve consumer satisfaction. For example, we all come to the point when appliance updates are very much needed. Instead of having the dump truck haul away your old washer or oven, send these items back to manufacturers so they may dispose of them properly. The parts from these appliances can often be salvaged or even recycled and reused to create new parts. As our human right, we deserve good food, adequate clothing and comfortable shelter — these are the three basic necessities that we demand of our environment. What we’ve come to learn is as we lessen our dependence on precious resources, we help and utilize our environment in multiple ways. Although some of these resourceful practices may not be the most convenient, we owe everything to our environment. It is therefore only responsible to keep it the way we found it. From recycling a piece of clothing, to donating an old appliance, these are a just a few actions that can make a huge difference for our environment. For more on Blog Action Day, visit blogactionday.org.