For over 40 years, Earth Day has been celebrated and this year’s celebration is right around the corner! Tuesday, April 22 marks Earth Day 2014, arguably the most important day of the year. Mother Earth deserves a pat on the back for dealing with everything we put her through! From wearing green or brown to researching hybrid cars, there are countless ways to get involved with Earth Day. Here a few ideas to love Mother Earth this year in Blo-No.
Recycle and Donate
According to dosomething.org, 75% of waste is recyclable, yet only 30% actually gets recycled. With all the beer cans that collect around campus, this may be the most obvious way to love mother earth at ISU. The town of Normal has eight different places around town where recyclable materials can be dropped off. A list of these locations can be found here.
A closer to home idea is to take a few minutes to go through your apartment and look for things to donate. Clothing, shoes, kitchen appliances, homes décor and many more items are always needed at homeless shelters or resale shops. Donating not only helps eliminate clutter but it benefits the surrounding community and environment.
Shop Locally
There are plenty of ways to eat and cook eco-friendly here in Normal. The Trailside Farmer’s Market in Uptown Normal is every Tuesday running from June 3 and until September 16 from 3:30 -6. Pick up fresh, locally grown vegetables, baked goods, jewelry, crafts and flowers! Downtown Bloomington also hosts a farmers market at 7:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday from May to October. These are both great ways to give back to the community and support local farmers and vendors.
Better Transportation
Resulting in about one third of the United States air pollution, cars and trucks do more damage than most think. As the weather gets warmer, opt for a walk or a bike ride instead of driving. Don’t have a bike? The renewable energy department at Illinois State created the Reggie Ride, a program that lets students, faculty and staff rent bikes to use at no cost. In the past, the bikes that were left behind after move out were donated to auctions, but this year bikes were repainted and repaired for use. The rentals are first come, first serve and can be picked up at the Bowling and Billiards Center or the Student Recreation Center.
Driving with friends home for the weekend can lessen your carbon footprint as well. Illinois State offers Zimride, a site to coordinate carpools with other students! Use it to split the price of gas on the way to a concert, road trip or weekend at home.
Environmentally Friendly Items
Making small changes in your everyday life can make a big difference. Stop purchasing expensive bottled water and invest in a reusable water bottle. They can be found for as little as $5 from Target, Walmart and even Victoria’s Secret! Another product that is kind to the environment is energy saving light bulbs. They’re hardly more expensive than regular bulbs and can be purchased at any hardware store. Recycled products such as cutting boards, bags and even jewelry can also make a difference.
Arts and Crafts
A personal favorite past time of mine, arts and crafts are fun and good for the environment. Save gift packaging like tissue paper and ribbons to create tissue garland via HGTV. Another unique arts and craft is creating egg shell garden via Freepeople. It takes some time to collect all of the eggs but is well worth the return to mother earth! Find more tutorials for creating crafts like these two and more on Pinterest.
Making the world a better place is everyone’s responsibility. This Earth Day, pledge to make a change with HerCampus ISU by sharing it on Twitter using the hashtag #EarthDayLovin. Get some friends together and spend Tuesday giving back to the earth that we take for granted too often!