Since April 22, 1970, Earth Day has been an annual celebration and a reminder to continue to strive to make improvements on behalf of our environment. Earth Day is the perfect example of a group of people who wanted to make and see a change and in order to do that, they needed to take action. On the first Earth Day, 20 million Americans demonstrated from coast-to-coast, in efforts to raise awareness about the changes that needed to be made to stop further damage from pollution and in order to improve the environment overall.

 

Almost fifty years later, millions of people across the world believe in Earth Day and vow to make changes to better the state of our planet. While Earth Day should (in fact) be everyday, April 22 is a day to remind, motivate, and inspire everyone to be a more mindful and environmentally conscious citizen. Want to get involved this Earth Day? Here are some ideas:

Not Just Earth Day: Change Your Daily Routine

 

If you commit to making a few changes in your daily routine, on Earth Day, you may realize that they are easy to do and you may be inspired to do them year round.

 

• Bring Your Own Bags: If you’re still using bags from the grocery store, you may be a little behind. While a paper bag may come in handy from time to time, plastic bags should be avoided (some stores have banned them). Some stores charge shoppers if they need a bag for their groceries. If you bring a reusable bag you will be helping the environment and you may even get a discount for bringing your own bag. Bonus: Reusable bags are often much stronger than store bags, so you can load up your bag and not worry about losing your groceries.

 

• Use Your Own Container: Whether you are buying in bulk (ie. dried beans, rice, or spices) or grabbing a cup of coffee at your local coffeehouse, if you bring your own container you may get a discount. If not, you’re being eco-friendly. It’s a win-win.

 

• Compost & Recycle: If you aren’t recycling, there’s no good excuse not to. If you’re out in public and don’t see an appropriate receptacle for recycling, stash that bottle in your purse and recycle it at home. If you want to be more mindful about your waste, composting is a perfect way to cut down on your trash. In may seem overwhelming, but there are so many options for composting and it’s easy.

 

 

• Shorten Your Showers: Who doesn’t love a long and hot shower? However, those luxurious showers are wasting gallons of water. Here’s a challenge: Take a five minute shower. Might take some getting used to, but think of all the extra time you’ll have in your day!

• Alternate Transportation: If you love your car, be inspired by Earth Day to walk, ride a bike, carpool, or take public transportation.

 

 

Get Involved With Others

 

A great way to celebrate and recognize Earth Day is by getting involved with others. Attend a local celebration. Take advantage of the beautiful spring weather and plant trees, plants, or flowers in a park, at a school, or in someone’s yard.

 

Organize or take part in a trash pick-up. After the snow has melted, streets, grassy areas, and ditches are always filled with debris. Encourage passersby to lend a helping hand or get your family involved, you’re never too old or too young to get involved.