Welcome to Avocato’s Sustainability Corner!
Avocato, our eco-conscious mascot, is here to share some tips on how to live a more sustainable life and help save the Earth. Check out these simple yet impactful actions you can take to help protect our planet.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Start by reducing your waste. Use reusable bags, bottles, and containers whenever possible. Opt for products with minimal packaging, and recycle items like paper, plastic, and glass.
Conserve Energy: Turn off lights and unplug electronics when not in use. Switch to energy-efficient appliances and use natural light whenever possible. Consider investing in renewable energy sources like solar panels.- Please turn off outdoor lights during bird migration months! May is peak bird migration season. 500,000 birds migrate on some nights through Oakland county. Outdoor lights disorient them and can cause exhaustion from veering from their intended pathway.
- For up-to-date stats on this years bird migration click here (link to dashboard).
- Save Water: Take shorter showers, fix leaks promptly, and install water-saving devices in your home. Collect rainwater for outdoor use and avoid watering your lawn excessively.
- Choose Sustainable Transportation: Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation whenever possible. Consider switching to electric or hybrid vehicles, or explore options like car-sharing and ride-sharing services.
- Support Local and Organic: Buy locally grown and organic produce to reduce carbon emissions from transportation and support sustainable farming practices. Choose products with minimal packaging and avoid single-use plastics.
- Compost Food Waste: Start a compost pile or use a composting bin to turn food scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Composting reduces methane emissions from landfills and helps close the nutrient loop.
- Practice Mindful Consumption: Before making a purchase, consider whether you truly need the item and its environmental impact. Choose quality over quantity, repair items when possible, and donate or recycle old belongings.
Birds
Please turn off outdoor lights during bird migration months! May is peak bird migration season. Last night more than 184,000 birds migrated through Oakland county. Outdoor lights disorient them and can cause exhaustion from veering from their intended pathway. Click here to Learn More.
Bees
The bee’s eye is a marvel of biology. It is covered with hairs that act as a shield against pollen and consists of thousands of small lenses called ommatidia. These lenses allow the bee to see a range of colors, including ultraviolet, and are highly sensitive to movement. This enables the bee to spot flowers and other sources of nourishment, as well as evade potential threats.
But what truly sets the bee’s eye apart is its structure. Unlike our own complex eyes, the bee’s eye is made up of many simple eyes that work together to provide a wide-angle view of the world. With a visual field of 280 degrees, the bee can see almost everything around it without turning its head. This is particularly useful for locating flowers and avoiding predators.
In addition to its impressive visual capabilities, the bee’s eye also processes information at lightning speed. This helps the bee make swift decisions about where to fly and what to do, both essential for its survival. Overall, the bee’s eye is a crucial part of its anatomy and a testament to the power of nature. It has developed over millions of years to help the bee thrive in its environment.
You can help the bees survive by not using pesticides in your outdoor spaces and fill your gardens & pots with native flowers for them to collect pollen from. Even a few potted plants will help if you have a small space.
By incorporating these sustainability tips into your daily life, you can make a positive difference for the planet. Join Avocato in taking small steps towards a greener, more sustainable future!