Happy Earth Day! Before I launch into my Earth Day Tips, many of you might be wondering what on earth (!) is Earth Day?
Earth Day is held annually on April 22nd with events focused on celebrating our environment. It’s also aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues and encouraging people to adopt a greener way of life.
Now that that’s settled, here for you are my Earth Day Tips – some simple and others, a bit more involved. Either option you choose will make a difference, but why not try some from each category?
While I hope you’ll follow one or two (or more) Earth Day Tips on Earth Day, try making whatever you change a permanent one!
Get Outside!
Easy Earth Day Tips: Simple, But Effective
Take a walk or hike. It’s Earth Day, so what better way to celebrate nature than ditching the device and enjoying the outdoors? Explore one of your area parks or nature centers, or simply take a walk outside.
Bike to school, work, town. Reduce your carbon footprint and get some exercise in the process.
Clean up as you go. An easy every-day activity is to pick up debris and litter as you’re out on a walk. While out, bring a small bag to collect litter. You’ll be surprised how quickly it fills up, but every bit you pick up makes a difference.
Taking it to the Next Level
Volunteer. Volunteer for a cleanup of your area parks, beaches, or open spaces. Even better, organize one.
There’s nothing more gratifying than spending the day outdoors clearing and cleaning up with fellow residents and helpers. Check your local volunteer groups and civic organizations. I list a few organizations here:
- VolunteerMatch has nationwide listings. Join first to view options.
- Earth Day Network is coordinating volunteer cleanups for 2019.
- Earth Day Initiative in the NYC area has a number of volunteer activities.
Plant a garden. Whether it’s a vegetable or pollinator garden, make sure it’s a healthy one for you and your family. Read here about ways you can make your yard healthy and beautiful.
Reduce, Reduce, Reduce
Easy Earth Day Tips: Simple, But Effective
Swap out one single-use item. Just say no to a single-use disposable item(s). Pick one to swap out and then try to add a few more to your waste reduction plan.
Whether you’re out and about or trying to reduce your reliance on disposables at home, making just one change can make a difference, particularly if you keep at it on a consistent basis. Eventually your actions will rub off on others. And you’ll notice ways to reduce your reliance on other single-use disposables.
Learn how to reduce and recycle responsibly, and then do it! Every spring I take a look at the junk in my house and wonder how I’ve accumulated such a pile. It’s a never ending battle to minimize purchases and dispose of unwanted items in a responsible way.
We all face that challenge of whittling away waste. My spring cleaning post will get you started on how to re-purpose old items, donate stuff that could be reused by others, and finally dispose responsibly so the waste doesn’t harm the environment.
Taking it to the Next Level
Start a waste reduction initiative. It involves planning and organization, but it’s possible, even on a limited budget and with passionate volunteers.
As chair of Rye Sustainability Committee, I oversaw numerous waste reduction initiatives, including the Reusable Bag Initiative. We also have plastic drinking straws reduction, cork recycling, and food scrap recycling campaigns. Take a look at these programs and replicate one for your community.
Start composting. Whether it’s through backyard composting, participating in a community composting program, or paying for a private service, food scrap (or waste) recycling is an incredibly effective way to reduce food waste. Try it out and see how much food waste you can transform into nutrient-rich compost.
Go Easy on the Chemicals
Easy Earth Day Tips: Simple, But Effective
Learn why chemicals in your home have serious health effects for you, your family, and the environment.
Green clean your cleaning products. Swap out a few of those cleaning products that contain chemicals and replace them with natural alternatives or practices.
Taking it to the Next Level
Make your yard a healthy yard. Transform your yard into a healthy yard that’s beautiful and safe for all.
Learn the what and why of healthy yards in 5 Healthy Yard Lessons for a Beautiful Yard.
Learn Something New or Take the Lead
Easy Earth Day Tips: Simple, But Effective
Learn about it. Learn some of the Green Terms lingo so you understand the issues and what others are talking about.
Read about it. Pick up a book about the environment or sustainability. (Check out Rye Sustainability’s book suggestions here.) Better yet, pay a visit to your local library and check out a few books.
Taking it to the Next Level
Spread the word. Join a local or national group committed to sustainability, conservation, and/or environmental issues. Pick one issue that you’re passionate about.
Take the lead. Even better – create your own group to take action on environmental issues. I offer my experience with spearheading a Reusable Bag Initiative, but much of what I and my fellow activists learned from the experience can be translated into any initiative. It certainly was the case for me in how I approached other projects, including Rye’s Food Scrap Recycling initiative.
