LMWAY (Last Month We Asked You): Usually my family has hot dogs for supper, hopefully outside in the backyard with friends over. By that time the fireflies have usually started to come out – our own backyard fireworks :)) And then we head off to the local park where they have fireworks. Parking is always a hassle and everyone scours the lot for a good place. Eventually we settle down and the fireworks start – they last about 10 minutes. And then there’s a mass exodus and everyone heads home and goes to bed very late :))

Advice Column:

-Delete any emails or texts that aren’t absolutely InDiSpEnSaBlE – not many people have heard of this one, but the thing is that the emails are just data being stored somewhere, and to keep all that data, quite a lot of electricity is needed. So the less data there is, the less fossil fuels will be burned to keep it available. If you would like to keep an email for sentimental purposes, you can always take a screenshot of it or write it down on paper. Similarly, it’s a good idea to go through any online storage drives you have. It’s also quite satisfying to de-clutter:) You can also unsubscribe from any mailing lists you’re on and try not to send gratuitous emails, so that the data won’t be there in the first place. It’s a small thing, but it helps!
-Walk or bicycle to where you need to go – or you can carpool, which is really fun! (But only with people you trust, of course.)
-Try not to spend too much time on a laptop or smartphone (this goes for me too… :/) because it takes up a lot of electricity – summer’s the best time for doing non-digital things anyway :))
-Reuse things or buy secondhand items, rather than buying up new stuff.
-Try to find things to do in your local area, like going to a state park, instead of taking a flight to a different country for vacation.

Important Dates:

July 4th, of course! And my grandma’s birthday is in July!

LoTM (Location of the Month):

sparkling fireworks

LMWAY – usually, my family drives up to my great aunt’s lakehouse in the Adirondacks – there’s hiking, biking, swimming, kayaking, (veggie) burgers, and fireworks! this year, we’re just staying in the city but i think a nearby park might have a fireworks show on the 4th – i’ll either bike down to the park or just watch from my roof :p

advice column – walk, bike, or take public transportation when possible! thrift – not only is it sustainable and relatively cheap, but it’s also really fun! you can also donate clothes you don’t want anymore to your local thrift store, and usually they’ll give you coupons! and shop locally if you can (though it can be more pricey so it isn’t accessible for everyone). 

LoTM – pyrotechnic constellations

LMWAY: I’m Canadian, so I celebrate July 1. To be honest my family doesn’t do a ton for it, but we usually go watch fireworks and maybe have a special dinner or something.

Advice column: Remember even the tiniest things help. And the more people do those tiny things, the more it helps. So get your family and friends involved too!

Important dates: Sooo many of my family members have birthdays in July, and my Mom and my cousin even share a birthday!

LoTM: Bare feet in the dewy morning grass

(Idrk why that feels so July to me, but it does lol)

Advice Column: Seconding what everyone else has said! Transport is an especially important point – if you have to travel long distances, ask your parents if you can go on a train rather than a plane, and keep it to a minimum in general; for daily travel, keep it eco-friendly too! Turning off the air conditioning as much as possible and finding other ways to cool down is another good way to save electricity.

LoTM: amber-infused skies

LoTM: Hiding in the refrigerator from the heat (ooh watermelon)