Happy Earth Day everybody! Earth Day is a time for people to come together to protect our planet! I’m a believer that every day should be Earth Day because we all need to work towards more environmental protection and conservation. This day is also here to celebrate this beautiful home we have here on planet Earth. A way we can celebrate nature is by doing all in our power to protect it. This article is all about the things you can do to celebrate Earth Day!
Need a refresher on climate change, fossil fuels, and increases in global warming? Learn more about what climate change is here.
Earth Day: Protect the Earth From What? I’m Glad You Asked!
Thank you for allowing me to go on a small rant before we get to the fun part of this article (click here to get to the celebration part of the blog)!
Climate change is “long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns…[that] can be natural,” but that natural process has been exponentially speeding up due to human activity, which we now call global warming.
Global warming effects:
Droughts (hello Colorado River)
Severe wildfires that happen more frequently, impacting slow-growing native plants and natural restoration (FYI-wildfires are natural, but they are now burning hotter and more often)
Extreme heat
Rising sea levels
Intense storms
Polar ice melt
Endangerment of plant and animal species
And more
The major global warming issue is greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. This is no surprise since greenhouse gases create a nearly impermeable layer in the troposphere, the lowest layer of our atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are the result of human activity. However, “human activity” doesn't necessarily mean individual humans. The top producers of greenhouse gas emissions are not individuals, but companies such as ExxonMobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell PLC (aka Shell), BP PLC, and Chevron Corp, to name a few. Check out some of the companies that can profit from global warming!
Educate yourself! Remember that accountability matters, for big corps and on the individual level. I drive a car and I contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. I am also giving my money to oil companies so that my car can run. Take notice of how your spending can benefit the major corporations that have high greenhouse gas emissions rates.
The latest and greatest effort in conservation focuses on microplastics, which heavily affect human health. Did you know microplastics can be found in our brains, breast milk, the air we breathe, human placentas, and so much more? The microplastics and the toxic chemicals, potential viruses, and bacteria they carry pose a huuuuge health risk.
Macroplastics are easy to see and are also a major issue! Also, not so fun fact, 91% of plastic isn’t actually recycled! Big bummer! :-(
I also recommend watching this little video as Pattiegonia explains that plastic is made of oil MADE BY BIG OIL COMPANIES! The more you know!
There’s a LOT more to say about global warming. Like, so much. But let’s move on to what you can do to celebrate Earth Day in impactful ways.
9 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is the best day! It's a day for all of us to come together and love the world we live in. Have you seen this place?! It's amazing!
Here are some actionable steps you can take to practice conservation, take environmental protection measures, and celebrate our planet, in no particular order of importance :-)
1. Take a Walk to Pick Up Trash
Get outside with gloves and a trash bag. It’s time for litter duty! You’ll be surprised how much trash you can find littered around your town.
Are you a competitive person? Bring your friends along and make it into a game. See how much trash each of you can collect in an hour or afternoon!
2. Start Composting
Composting may be one of my favorite activities. It’s easy and valuable and helps the planet sooo much! Some fast facts about composting:
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by stoping methane emissions and improving carbon sequestration (soil absorbs more carbon)
Lowers gardening costs by reducing purchases of fertilizers and water
Reduces runoff
Feeds all the cute helpers in your soil like worms, fungus, and bacteria, which helps your garden grow!
I do the tumbler method but really want to incorporate the worm-tray method into my composting. I keep a metal bin under my sink and put all my fruit and veggie scraps into it (make sure you don’t add meat products). Then, I empty the bin into the tumbler, give it some good spins, and wait patiently for nature to do its thing.
There are a ton of different tumblers out there. There are also more ways to compost than in a barrel! You can do:
worm composting in trays
Trench composting: Dig a hole, fill it with compostable food waste, cover in dirt, then wait
EMO composting (Effective MicroOrganisms)
Open-air compositing: have a pile or bin outside and put your food scraps in there
Composting is great for the environment and gardens. It also feels good to put your food scraps to use rather than making more trash. Learn more about composting here :-)
3. Plant a Tree!
Just all around a great thing to do. They absorb CO2 and clean the air, give birds another option for their nests, provide oxygen, are majestic beings, reduce erosion, provide protection for animals, provide shade eventually, and literally make everything in life better.
4. Write to Your Politicians
The thing you can do immediately for Earth Day 2024 is fill out this form. This form is a letter to President Biden to reduce plastic production and use for the Global Plastics Treaty that is supposed to be completed by the end of 2024 :-)
Don’t live in the U.S.? Not a problem! Support a Global Plastics Treaty by signing this petition. FYI- the UN negotiations are happening in Ottawa, Canada starting April 23!
When you’re done with that, engage with your Member of Congress! I love Sierra Club’s Activist Toolkit as an outline for writing letters to your congress members. You can also email your members of Congress! Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a good resource site that gives information about how to email your congress members about climate change. Click the links attached to take some action :-)
5. Donate to or Volunteer at Organizations You Support
Tons of non-governmental organizations, non-profits, government organizations, grassroots groups, local hiking clubs, and more do great things to help the planet. If you feel so inclined, donate to the places you believe in. You can even start in your town!
Some organizations you may be pulled to:
National Parks Foundation: help protect the national parks!
EarthJustice: EarthJustice is a nonprofit environmental law organization. They’re going to match $2:$1 during this April
Ocean Conservancy: ocean conservation group
Daughters for Earth: funds women's organizations that fight the climate crisis
Look up the conservation groups in your region
Have a specific cause you want to donate to? Whittle your passions down to a species of animal, tree, insect, plant, etc. Focus on the ocean, forests, carbon removal, the National Audubon Society (or your local one), local fisheries, arctic conservation, and so much more
Donate money and/or time to whatever passion and purpose you feel drawn to. It doesn’t have to be a lot, even a little makes a difference!
6. Ride Your Bike Instead of Taking Your Car
Are you able to ride your bike to the place you’re going to today? Work up a sweat, feel the breeze on your face, and feel better about not having to pump your car full of gas. Commuting by bike is a healthy alternative to driving from place to place. Try it out! It does wonders for the body and the soul.
7. Buy Fair Trade
Buying fair trade means supporting farmers, consumers, small businesses, and the environment. Buying fair trade-certified food and products means investing in sustainable practices and an equitable world. It’s just the right thing to do!
Shop brands like Fair Trade Certified, Equal Exchange, and Fairtrade America when grocery shopping. Try shopping at food coops or employee-owned stores. Plus fair trade coffee and chocolate taste so much better when you know you're supporting the planet.
8. Visit a National Park
It also happens to be National Park Week! Visit a national park or monument that’s close to you! They're celebrating different themes all week!
9. It’s all in the details
There are TONS of little practical things you can do daily to conserve energy and be more energy efficient, like:
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
Turn off the lights
Change your lightbulbs to LEDs
Unplug the stuff you aren’t using
Change your air filter
Turn your fridge down
Turn off that AC and open the windows!
Use regular plates instead of paper plates
Buy reusable zip locks
Take shorter showers
Wash your clothes on cold
and here :-)
Earth Day Everyday!
Earth Day is special because it draws attention to how deeply important it is to invest in the well-being of this planet and its inhabitants. I hope this post inspires you to take action today to show some love to this great Earth of ours.
Even though the official Earth Day is only once a year, I believe it’s essential to get in the habit of being conservation-conscious every day. The Earth is our home and it’s our responsibility to take care of it in any way we are able. I hope you have a wonderful Earth Day celebration <3.
What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day? Comment below!
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