This is our home: How to Make Earth Day Every Day

“What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”

― Henry David Thoreau,

Each year on April 22nd, Earth day is celebrated and recognized. This special day was officially recognized in 1970, following a series of protests and grassroots movements which sought to bring attention to the environment, and the impact humans have on it. On April 22,1970, nearly 20 million Americans formed coast-to-coast rallies. It was during this time that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created, as was the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act and other important laws.

The Earth is a magical place, that we are all very lucky to call our home. Whether you live in the North pole or on the Equator, we all tread on the same ground. Many believe that the act of one does not accumulate to the act of many – but the reality is that every revolution that has ever taken place started with the actions of one person.

Here´s how you can do your part to protect our Earth, and our home.

Get outside!

Go outside and get in touch with nature. Too often, we forget that we are beings in this world and share a connection with all living organisms in it. Spend a weekend in the woods, go on a hike, or take a leisurely stroll through your local park.It has been proven that being in nature has a psychologically calming effect on the human nervous system. You could even practice Hanami (the Japanese tradition of sitting under a flower tree with friends,) or Shinrin-Yoku (The Japanese tradition of ¨forest bathing.¨

Shop Local and Eat Organic.

Shopping at local stores is not only good for the local economy, but also tends to carry much less carbon miles with it. Transportation emissions, unemployment, and other factors all play into consuming goods or services from out of the country. By supporting your local farmers markets and stores, you help limit those carbon miles.

Reuse.

Here are things you can reuse!

• Bags (instead of plastic opt for a canvas or tote bag)
• plates (instead of plastic, opt for ceramic or glass)
• newspapers, magazines, paper (you can recycles these, and also reuse them for paper mache, seed pots, and wrapping paper)
• clothing (either donate your clothing, or transform it into something else – like a bathmat!)
• furniture (donate your furniture, or unbuild it and reuse the wood)
• batteries (opt for rechargable batteries over single use)

Reduce.

Challenge yourself to limit your intake of plastic. Here´s how you can reduce waste.

• Buy things with minimal packaging. Instead of wrapping up your fruits and vegetables in bags, bring a canvas bag that can hold them.
• Reduce clutter. Donate items you no longer need.
• Reduce paper waste by cancelling unwanted mail, or going paperless.
• Opt for Glass over plastic!
• Shop at second hand or thrift stores.
• Compost your leftover organic materials!

Recycle.

• Compost leftover food or organic components.
• Glass, ceramics, plastics, aluminum, wood, paper.

Plant a tree!

You can plant a tree using a Bios Urn, a seed, or a seedling. Just be sure to use a native tree species.

On Earth Day, we celebrate all the gifts the world and nature make available to us. We recognize our complete dependence on its bounty. And we acknowledge the need for good stewardship to preserve its fruits for future generations. – John Hoeven