It’s April 22nd, which means… it’s Earth Day! And this year is the 50th anniversary! Usually this is a day that everyone gets out to events like tree planting and community walks showing appreciate for our environment and learning new habits to better our planet. Earth day 2020 is a little bit different this year in among a world pandemic. Although we should show appreciation and practice healthy environmental habits all year round, this year is going to be a little different. We can’t get out and participate in events like normal so we will be celebrating earth day from home!
Who started Earth Day?
It was Senator Gaylor Nelson from Wisconsin in 1970. He firmly believed we have one earth so we need to take care of it. Sadly, environment issues were by passed by politics and the media so Mr. Nelson decided to create a day to bring awareness to our planet. The day was a huge success with over 20 million participating in events. It also led to changes in National Legislation and the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were put in place. Earth day was a huge success and has continued to be!
With many places around the world shut down to normal services like garden centers and outdoor spots closed, we’re going to have to improvise on our efforts to not only acknowledge and appreciate Earth day but learn change we can make to keep protecting out planet. So what can we do to celebrate Earth day from home?
1.Educate ourselves
I am a big believer in continuous learning. A great way to celebrate Earth Day is spend some extra time learning more about the space around you. Whether you decide to read posts online from organizations like these ones from Parks Canada or even take some free online courses like what the Department of Conservation offers in New Zealand, this is a great way to build upon your local knowledge.
2. Spend time outside
If you are able to, what better way to appreciate mother nature than getting out in it! For most this may be a walk around the neighbourhood but don’t forget to take time to look up at the sky, watch the trees sway and reflect on our beautiful world. It’s easy to take for granted what is in front of us.
3. Shop sustainably
The textile industry is one of the largest contributors to pollution. This may not be the easiest change but limiting our fast fashion choices, buying from sustainable brands or second hand will largely contribute to a reduction in our carbon footprint. There are more and more brands popping up these days giving us lots of choice. Be sure to look into your favourite brands, and see if they’re making steps towards a more sustainable future. I was happy to hear that a brand I really like, Rainbird, is making their puffer jackets with 100% recycled plastic and are working to build on those efforts. You may be surprised looking deeper!
4. Donate
During a time of a pandemic I totally understand that there may not be a lot of money left in pot but even $1,$2, $5 a week will make a difference to any organization working to protect our planet. Something that I will be starting this month is donating $20 a month/ $5 a week for a year to charities around the world. Maybe you can do less, maybe you can do more but it’s very rewarding funneling that money towards to making a difference. Find a number that works for you. I decided to be very diligent about giving things up like extra treats (I don’t need) at the grocery store and take away coffee to make up that $5 a week.
5. Commit to change
Our world has certainly committed to a disposable lifestyle. Plastic bags, coffee cups, water bottles. More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans each year. 8 million! In the US according to the EPA, 41 million tonnes of food waster went into landfills. Why is this bad? The plant matter in among plastic and other trash basically forms an airless environment causing it to produce methane gas contributing further to pollution. This earth day why not commit to ditching plastic grocery bags, bin liners and use reusable, biodegradable or ones made from recycled plastic like these ones from Ecobags or The Market Bags. Eliminate or cut back on purchasing plastic water bottles or bring your own cup for take away coffee. Even small steps make a difference!
6. Plan a veggie garden
I would have said plant but I know not everyone has access to seeds at the moment. If you do have a space to plant a garden but haven’t yet, why not plan your veggie garden for the coming seasons. This not only can save you money at the super market but you also have the reassurance of knowing exactly where your food is coming from and minimizing environmental impact.
7. Watch a documentary
If you haven’t had enough of Netflix or in my case the Disney+ channel, there are some really awesome documentaries you can stream that highlight the impact humans have had on this world. In fact I wrote a whole blog post about it! Some of my favourites are Our planet and Before the Flood.
8.Star gaze
The best place to gaze up to the stars would of course be in a dark sky reserve. New Zealand just happens to have the largest in the world– Aoraki Mackenzie dark sky reserve. Sadly at this time the vast majority of us will be working with what we have– our backyards. If you’re lucky enough to be able to see a clear night sky from home, this year, the Lyrid Meteor Shower will be visible with 10-18 meteors shooting across the sky! Peak time in the northern hemisphere is between midnight and dawn on April 21-22nd and early morning on April 23 in New Zealand.
I hope you are able to get out and enjoy what this beautiful world has to offer and also reflect on how you can make it better.
What are some ways you’re celebrating Earth Day from home?
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