The first Earth Day was back in 1970 and mobilized 20 million people in the U.S. to advocate publicly for a cleaner world. Now in 2021, the 51st anniversary, the whole globe is in on the act.
Sometimes I think people get stymied in their efforts to go green because the problems seem so large. But as my husband likes to say – “How do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.” Which is not very earthy, but you get the picture.
Here are five easy ways for your family to love the earth this year.
1.) Organize a beach or park clean up
Ana Braun says that it is all about the ocean for her family.
“We pick up trash on the beach, don’t use harsh chemicals at home because they end up in sewage, to bayou to ocean,” she said. “2021 also marks the start of UN ‘Decade of ocean science.’”
If you want to organize a clean up of a local park or greenspace, there are a lot of options.
Visit https://blog.credo.com/2019/07/how-to-plan-an-ocean-or-park-clean-up-in-your-community/for some tips to get started.
2.) Compost waste
This option isn’t for everyone, but composting does help the environment. The EPA says food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 30 percent of what we throw away and could be composted instead.
Amy Shaughnessy said her family just started composting.
“We wanted to reduce our waste and feed our butterfly garden,” she said.
To get started, visit: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home.
3.) Plant a tree
Ivana Cabrera is planting as many trees as she can in her yard.
“My collection so far includes bald cypress, sycamore, pine, pear, and birch,” she said. “The oak was here when we moved in.”
The Earth Day organization has a Canopy project where they plant trees in deforested areas. Your donations can help them. If you want to do it with friends in your area, contact your local parks office for resources.
Photo by Akil Mazumder from Pexels
4.) Turn out your lights
My spouse says that when we burn electricity in unused rooms of our house, the sparrows weep. He is annoying but might not be wrong.
According to a sustainability study from Boston University if you turn off the lights whenever you leave a room, you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.15 pounds per hour. Over time, that adds up. One bite at a time for Mother Earth.
5.) Recycle your clothes
You knew we were going to say something about clothing, didn’t you? You can consign your clothes to Bagsy (check our website for our brand list) and use the profits to buy other gently used gems.
The website Almost Zero Waste says that almost 60 percent of all clothing produced is disposed of within a year of production and it ends in the landfill.
In addition to reselling clothes, you could also organize a clothes swap with other parents or donate them. If the items are in rough shape, consider using them as cleaning rags.
Almost Zero Waste says you can even compost clothing that is made from natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and silk. Who knew?
