As many of you know, tomorrow is Earth Day! This annual event is not only celebrated in the United states, but the entire world as we know it. What is it, and why does it matter to us? In the late sixties, Earth day was founded by peace activist John McConnell to honor the Earth and the concept of peace. The holiday was later sanctioned in a proclamation at the United Nations. Not even a month later, the United States joined in the notion by holding a nationwide environmental teach day on April 22nd. To this day, Earth Day continues to be a reminder of the critical role we play in preserving our planet.
What may seem like a light hearted concept actually requires a lot of work and effort to maintain. If you are like me, a human being who values their Netflix subscription, chips and salsa and outdoor trails at the local park, Earth day might be something to stop and think about.
Everything from the butter we spread on our toast, the shoes we wear, and the paper we write on consumes valuable resources from the planet. Not only do our daily requirements use up what the Earth has to offer at an alarming rate, but our plastics, vehicles, and chemicals continue to negatively impact our home.
Life on earth is part of a vulnerable cycle, and one that we are all a part of. The choices we make today, no matter how small, will reflect on us tomorrow. You would be surprised at what even the smallest changes to our habits can do for the environment. Do you have a poor track record of recycling? Or perhaps you are neglecting that trip to get your vehicle emissions tested. Never fear! There is no time like the present to change your mind. To assist, here are some ways you can help to celebrate Earth day not just today, but to make it a new healthy, and mindful habit.
A few ways you can help:
- Conserve water: That might mean shortening those long showers to ten minutes or less and turn off your faucet while brushing your teeth; even an extra minute of being turned off can conserve gallons that would have gone down the drain otherwise.
- Use reusable shopping bags: a one time purchase that is not only trendy, but durable as well. What if they were bought en masse, imagine just how much it would reduce the need for plastic bags as a whole. Ask yourself, how many plastic bags do you have lying around right now, and do you really need them?
- Plant a tree! For as little as one dollar, you can plant a tree in a country of your choosing at https://onetreeplanted.org/
- RECYCLE: Not sure what you can recycle? DC has put together a helpful list of what can be recycled and what belongs in the trash.
- Give the gift of a cleaner Earth: 4ocean offers beautiful handmade bracelets for sale in exchange for one pound of trash to be cleared from our oceans. Proceeds also go to non profit organizations that are focused on maintaining our beautiful planet.
- Meatless Mondays: Consuming less meat is a popular and effective way to help reduce climate change since meat production is a large producer of greenhouse gases.
- Take a Walk or Bike Ride: If you need to run an errand and your destination is within walking or biking distance, resist the urge to drive. Walk or bike to your destination and reduce emissions while you get the added benefit of getting some exercise and some fresh air!
Financial donations or not, the most valuable donations we can make to the Earth is to offer our time, consideration and effort to keeping our own environment sustainable and free of pollution and waste.
