Every day, we consume our entire lives. Every morning, we wake up to the cell phone alarm clock, take 10-minute showers, microwave a Hot Pocket, drive across the street for class, and sometimes leave a straightener on for 12 hours. We rely on electricity, gasoline, and factories, just as much as water, food, and human connection. Just one day out of the year reserves itself for humankind to unplug and preserve the planet: April 22nd, Earth Day.
In 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson founded the first official Earth Day. Inspired by the environmental issues occurring at the spike of the Cold War era, which at the time meant American soldiers invading Vietnam, Nelson organized agrassroots protest. Nelson remarks, “We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators, and the thousands of schools, and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing aboutEarth Day. It organized itself” (Nelson, Senator Gaylord).
Earth Day brings people together from all ages, religions, ethnicities, and lifestyles. Anyone can celebrate Earth Day through a conscious point of a view. Discover ways to reduce, reuse, recycle. To conserve energy, start little by little. By following these simple tasks, your consumer bill shrinks. Wash all of your clothes in cold water, and start your dishwasher only when the racks fill. Turn off and unplug electronics when not in use – even the everyday utilities, such as a toaster, hair-dryer, television, coffee maker, or lamp. By unplugging all utilities when not in use, you save energy for more important consumer dependencies such as heat and air conditioning. When all of these small acts of green come together, people consume a fraction less. By consuming less energy, not only can you save money, but you can save the environment.
Gasoline fuels the planet’s travelers, but some people can take journeys on foot. Take walks to the places that are a matter of blocks away. If you live in Campus Habitat, stop having Campus Kitchen deliver to you. Start using your legs, and walk up the stairs instead of going on the elevator or escalator. By traveling on foot more often, you save money on gas, pollute the environment less, and gain firm thighs in the process.
Water is the element we all cannot live without. Spend less time in the shower singing, and more time scrubbing to get out of there. Bottled water is pricey, and generates large amounts of container waste, so purchase a water filter to purify tap water (“10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green”). Water is wasted in luxuries with swimming pools, hot tubs, sprinklers, and fountains, while the Earth’s bodies of water remain polluted with oil, cruise liners, and garbage. “From the recent studies, some statistics reveal that approximately over 80 percent of total ocean pollution sources are from land” (Ocean Pollution Facts). Recycle, recycle, recycle! Paper, plastic, glass, and metals should always be thrown into recycling bins. Unfortunately, not every apartment complex, or neighborhood, provides residents with dumpster-sized recycle bins. However, on campus, in front of Hoekje Hall, large recycle bins stay open for the public. Even though you may not save money by recycling, you help the Earth create new products.
Even if you don’t have enough time to plant a tree on Earth Day, you can still contribute to show appreciation for the planet. The best part about Earth Day is gaining green habits for your everyday life. We all look, sound, and perceive differently. But, we are all citizens of the world. In order to save our planet, think of the future generations and how scarce resources may be if we don’t cut down on consuming today.
Sources:
“10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green.” Worldwatch Institute. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <“>http://www.controllingpollution.com/ocean-pollution-facts/>.
Nelson, Senator Gaylord. “Earth Day 2011: History of Earth Day.” Earth Day 2011 – EnviroLink Resource Guide. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. <