What On Earth is Earth Day?
In 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin proposed an idea for a country-wide demonstration on earth-friendly practices. Born in an America fueled by the crunchy hippie counterculture, April 22, which is now notorious as a green call to arms, has remained as the date for Earth day for 49 years.
How You Can Get Involved
1) Try being more mindful about your energy consumption
Leaving lights and electronics plugged in wastes so much energy! Plus, your wallet will thank you when your electric bill comes in. If you’re really down for a challenge, try going the whole day without turning on the lights inside. Open those curtains and let in the natural light!
2) Clean up your neighborhood
You can do this in a group or by yourself! Make it your mission to pick up every piece of litter you see throughout the day (don’t forget to take your trusty germ-x and some tissues to pick up the nastier items). Take your pals with you and make an afternoon of it. Try cleaning up a local park or beach; the local wildlife will thank you.
3) Attend local organized events
Eventbrite has tons of volunteer initiatives up right now for Earth Day! This is perfect if you don’t want to celebrate Earth Day alone, but don’t know where to start. Make some friends, maybe get a free t-shirt, and spend a few hours planting trees, fixing up a garden, or cleaning up parks.
4) Spread the word!
Earth Day was started all because of a need to educate American citizens about the state of the environment and how we can change for the better. Share some “green” tips with your peers and colleagues and try to get more people involved in the movement!
5) Use zero waste products
Think of how much waste you create in a single day. Now think of how much waste your whole street creates, and how much of that is sitting somewhere in a landfill! Every time I throw something away, I picture all of my trash going to one personal landfill pile somewhere. By doing this, I’m more conscious of what I’m using up to prevent the buildup of non-biodegradable products Try spending all of earth day without using single-use products, such as straws, cutlery, plates, bags, and cups.
6) Spend the day as a vegan/vegetarian
The agriculture business (cattle in particular) contributes to about a quarter of worldwide pollution. Cut out meat and/or animal products from just one day’s worth of meals to practice greener substitutions for your daily nutrients.
7) Host a green party
What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to really celebrate it like a holiday? After cleaning up your neighborhood, have everyone come over for a vegetarian potluck, watch Our Planet on Netflix, and don’t forget the reusable dishes!