Every morning, I scan the internet for current events, catch up on social media and visit my favorite blogs. As I was surfing today, I stumbled upon an Earth Day friendly list on All Women Stalk and just had to share. It’s called ” 7 Ways To Get Involved In Earth Day”. Check it out.
Following Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring, which discussed the negative impact of pesticides on the environment, people began being much more concerned about the environment, the modern environmental movement began, and Earth Day was created. Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day in 1970 as a way to promote awareness about the health of the environment. It was celebrated on April 22, and over 20 million Americans demonstrated across the nation. It became clear that the environment was a huge concern of many people, and in December of 1970 Congress established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which was tasked with repairing damage to the environment. Environmental protection is still as important today as it was over 40 years ago, and there are many ways you can get involved in Earth Day, which is still celebrated on April 22.
1. EDUCATE YOURSELF
When you are looking to get involved in an important cause like Earth Day, it is important to educate yourself. There are many different issues surrounding the health of the environment that you can learn about, including pollution, endangered species, climate change, water shortages, water pollution, and recycling. Learning about a few of these issues will help you be informed. It will also help you find something you are passionate about and would like to get involved in.
2. RECYCLE
Aside from educating yourself, a great way to get involved in Earth Day is to recycle. If you don’t already recycle Earth Day is the perfect day to start recycling. When you do start recycling, remember that you can recycle many more things than just cans. Paper products, glass containers, and some plastic items can even be recycled. Different recycling companies accept different products. So, call your local recycling company to find out what you can recycle. You may be surprised at how many different things you can recycle.
3. CLEAN UP LITTER
On Earth Day, get together with a group of friends and clean up the litter around your neighborhood. This is a fun way to get involved and spend time with your friends. You will probably be amazed at how much litter you find in your own neighborhood. As you pick up litter, remember to recycle the items that can be recycled. Also, please stay in a safe area. Being environmentally responsible is wonderful, but you want to be safe.
4. CLEAN UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
Another great way to celebrate Earth Day is to clean up your neighborhood park. You can get together with friends and neighbors to make your local park cleaner and more kid friendly. While you are cleaning up the park, you can pick up litter, pick up debris from the winter, and even repaint areas that have been vandalized. If you have a Parks and Recreation Department that takes care of your park, there may not be too much to clean up. However, if you do not, there may be quite a bit of work to be done, including fixing playground equipment.
5. SWITCH TO EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
Many of the cleaning products that are used in homes are actually quite bad for the environment. Aerosol cans emit greenhouse gases, and detergents often have ingredients that are toxic to aquatic life. The Environmental Working Group has put together an extensive list of cleaning products that are both good and bad for the environment and your health. Each product received a grade, and those with an A are considered the best. You can find this list at ewg.org. Using this list to guide your cleaning product purchases is a great way to make environmentally friendly choices. Of course, you can always just use baking soda and vinegar to clean. They work great and are very friendly to the environment and your health.
6. VOLUNTEER
Usually there are a variety of Earth Day events that take place and that you can get involved in by volunteering. Volunteering for one of these events is a great way to get involved if you are unsure of where to start. Often, these events are geared toward cleaning up waterways and cleaning up parks. Sometimes there are even organized protests that you get involved in. To find out if there are any events in your community that need volunteers, you can go to earthday.org.
7. DECREASE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Earth Day is a great day to decrease your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouses gases that your daily activities emit. One of the best ways to decrease your carbon footprint is to go without your car. On Earth Day, ride your bike or walk to wherever you need to go. Not only will this help the environment, but you will be getting exercise and fresh air! If a car is absolutely necessary, try carpooling. Carpooling is another wonderful way to reduce your carbon footprint. Perhaps you will even decide you want to go without a car or carpool long term, which would be really great for the environment!
Celebrating Earth Day is a wonderful way to get involved in helping the environment. Promoting environmental awareness, taking steps to clean up litter, or reducing your carbon footprint are all excellent ways to become involved in Earth Day. However you choose to celebrate, you can feel good knowing you are taking steps to make a difference. How do you celebrate Earth Day?
That’s it guys! Now go outside and enjoy Earth Day!
Stay Conscious & Chic!
Photos courtesy of Earth Day Ottawa.