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The first celebrated Earth Day was April 22, 1970. United States Senator Gaylord Nelson created the holiday in the wake of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. It’s a day to celebrate Earth and to support environmental protection, and it’s this Monday! “How can I celebrate?” you might ask. Let’s get started.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
This is an easy concept. Use reusable grocery bags instead or just carry your goods instead of using plastic bags every time. Use a refillable water bottle instead of buying one every time you’re thirsty. Cut your showers down by five minutes. Do laundry every two weeks instead of every week. Recycle what you can instead of just throwing all of your waste in the trash. Plant your own garden. These are only a few really easy changes to make that can make a huge difference!
Join an Organization
Green Unity and Citizens of Earth are both environmental organizations at VCU that you can become a part of. They discuss issues that affect us locally, nationally and globally and work on projects to better the community and the environment.
Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) has a campus coordinator who works with VCU and helps students get involved with the projects they are working on as well.
Events
There are two Earth Day events happening in Richmond on Saturday, April 20. The Richmond Earth Day Festival is at 17th Street Farmers Market and is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The RVA Earth Day Festival is from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Manchester by the river. Both festivals feature live music, performances, vendors, eco-friendly activities, and the RVA Earth Day Festival will even valet your bike!
Appreciate
If you don’t feel like spending the day traipsing around town, stay home and watch movies. If you’re in a feel-good mood, documentaries like Planet Earth and Life will foster your curiosity and make you appreciate the earth. If you’re more in the mood to see the other side of what goes on in the world, films like Gasland and the 11th Hour will get you motivated to get up and do something for the environment. Check out this link for more Earth Day-ish films.
If you’re not in the mood to stay inside, go outside! Go hiking, biking, rock climbing, swimming, caving, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, fishing, etc. There are endless opportunities for spending time outside and Earth Day is the perfect time to stop and smell the roses – literally!
So this Earth Day, let’s celebrate the earth and appreciate it for all of its beauty and wonders!