Happy Earth Day, friends! As a citizen scientist and a concerned resident of this planet, I’m very passionate about preserving and protecting our Earth. Since today is Earth Day, I thought what better way to address some of the environmental issues that have been cropping up in politics lately (pun intended 😉 ) and to possibly inspire one or more of you to take action with me today. What kind of action?, you may wonder. Well, read on to find out! It can be something as small as going on a hike or turning down the heat in your home to something as large as writing to your local representative or taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint this year. I’m sharing 10 things to do this Earth Day (and really, every day) to save our planet. I hope you’ll join me!
1. Get outside!
Go on a hike with your friends. Run a 5k that supports an environmental charity. Or opt to have a picnic outside on the grass. One of the best things we can do for the environment is to appreciate it. Once we find an appreciation for this beautiful planet we all call home, it makes finding ways to protect and maintain it so much easier (and a no-brainer). Weither you are spending time to meditate in an open field of wildflowers or visiting exotic animals at the zoo, putting a face to Mother Nature will undoubtedly make it harder to deny protecting and sustaining her. Love on Mother Nature today and show her just how much we need her! Plus, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Getting fresh air and spending time outside (away from those electronic devices) is good for the mind, body, and soul. So. Good. So don’t deny yourself this opportunity! P.S. How cool is this ‘virtual’ Earth Day 5k run that anyone can participate in, is schedule-flexible, and supports the environment?! Sign. Me. Up.
2. Skip the car.
If at all possible, skip the car ride and opt to walk, bike, or skip instead! If necessary, use public transportation or carpooling to reduce the amount of emissions from driving. Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels (i.e. driving your car) is one of the leading contributors to global warming. And while global temperature rises may seem to be small to us, they can be devastating to life in the ecosystem that sustains us. Sometimes people fail to realize that it’s not all about us. We are simply but one life form, one cog in the wheel, of life on Earth. Everything has an effect on everything else, even if the effect is not directly seen. One easy way to skip using your car this weekend is to stay local and to support the small businesses in your neighborhood (see #4). For more information, read about the effects of car emission on the environment. P.S. This cartoon is an excellent ‘simple’ summary of our effect on the environment. (Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom.)
3. Give clothing a new life.
Did you know that manufacturing new clothing requires a tremendous amount of both energy and water? Get a jump start on your spring cleaning by going through your closet and donating any unused items to a charity for those in need. Don’t have a favorite donation place? H&M will recycle your pieces in store for free and make sure they don’t go to waste. Madewell is another great company that gives new life to your old jeans. Moving forward, make sure to not give into fast fashion and instead choose responsibly made, quality items that you will wear for a long time. You can also support clothing collections that donate a portion of the proceeds to a good cause.
4. Shop local.
Shop local and support the small businesses in your immediate neighborhood. Spend the morning at the farmers market and stock up on veggies that haven’t put an undue burden on the environment to be shipped to you. You can also opt for organic grown produce that don’t use pesticides. If you are interested, read about the debate on organic vs. conventional grown produce and their effects on the environment. If you live in the Boulder area, you can also support Protect Our Winters (a Boulder-based non-profit) just by eating at any of the participating restaurants in downtown Louisville. (For recommendations, we love The Huckleberry, Moxie Bread Co., LuLu’s BBQ, Sweet Cow Creamery, and The Waterloo is always crowded.)
5. Save energy and waste at home.
Turn off the heat in your home. Wash dishes by hand. Air dry your laundered clothing for the week. Turn off and unplug electrical devices for the day (good for the environment and you!). If you didn’t know, most electricity is produced using non-renewable resources (like coal and natural gas) that pollute the environment. Even most electric cars, which I will admit are a fantastic step in the right direction, ultimately get their power from fossil fuels. If you are interested, you can read about the impact of energy usage on the environment and calculate your carbon footprint. See what steps you can make today to decrease your burden on the environment. Other things you may not think make a difference but do… Weatherizing your home and windows and replacing lighting with energy efficient bulbs–both the Earth and your energy bill with thank you! Being cognoscente of how many groceries you are throwing out each week and adjusting accordingly by either shopping for less but more frequently, planning out meals well in advanced and eating leftovers for lunch the next day, and/or freezing things before they go bad. You can also bring a reusable bag to the store and help cut down on our plastic waste! Read more about how household waste affects the environment and find recycling options in your area.
6. Go vegan or vegetarian for the day.
Make a healthy choice for your body as well as the environment. Cattle are a major contributor of methane emissions (one of the most effective greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere. High concentrations of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels (see #2) and methane contributes heavily to global warming. Opt to eat vegan or vegetarian options for the day. Putting less demand on the cattle market and more on the produce sector may have benefits for the environment. Just try it for one day and see how it goes! It might not be as hard as you think. You can see my Going Plant Based post for more inspiration and a discussion of my journey.
7. Plant something!
So about these greenhouse gasses…how do we get rid of them?! The simple answer (beyond reducing our emissions) is to grow more plants and stop deforestation. Plants have the amazing capability to drink up excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and give off oxygen for us humans and animals to breathe. Isn’t that almost too perfect?! We each thrive and survive because of the other! So a great way to help reduce global warming is to simply plant new trees, bushes, and flowers. With spring, there’s nothing more fun than getting out into the garden and planting pretty pink and yellow flowers in your yard! Not a green thumb? Start with cacti and succulents that require less watering and add some color to your home.
8. Get up to speed on current Earth facts.
Earth day is a great time to get acquainted with all the latest research and facts out there about the Earth’s health, global warming, methods of reducing your carbon footprint, and living more sustainably. Google some of these things and find out for yourself what issues we face in the future (and currently)! This is the only home we’ve got, so we need to take care of it! You can also learn more about 10 simple things you can do now to help the environment.
9. Write a letter to your representative.
Express your concerns and ideas with how environmental issues are being handled in the government. As Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do keep me from doing what I can do.” Tell them it’s time to make a change and to prioritize our environment. Be the unwavering voice in our government that you know should exist when politicians are formulating environmental treaties and regulations with other nations of our world (and at home). Because truly, we (all nations of the world) should have a unified common goal of protecting and sustaining the beautiful and fragile Earth we call home. And guess what? Green energy is the answer, whether we choose to believe it now or later. Fight to make a renewable energy future a current reality now. It’s possible! You can find out who your representatives are here and stay up to date on current policy making with this app/website. You may also have heard/be among the thousands of people in cities around the WORLD Marching for Science today. If interested, read this article on the March for Science for more information.
10. Love each other.
Guess what, guys? News flash! We are all a part of the same Earth! We all share this home of ours and it doesn’t look like we will be getting a new one anytime soon. The sooner we realize that we inhabit the same home, endure the same struggles, and are destined to the same fate on this planet, the sooner we can start to not only understand each other, but also to protect and maintain this gorgeous place we call home. It should come as no surprise that our planet is in trouble. We have to start doing something. And we have to start fast, friends. So let’s learn to love each other so that we can get on to the bigger and better problems awaiting us and our future. Be kind today…and every day…and remember to have an open mind to change. Because our home and our future depends on it.
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