30 Ways to Make Every Day Earth Day
Tips and Tricks30 Ways to Make Every Day Earth Day
Riding the waves of environmental activism and rising public consciousness throughout the 1960s, Congress established April 22, 1970 as the first Earth Day to draw people’s attention to the widespread environmental degradation and to inspire people to care for our natural environment. Over the last 51 years, Earth Day has grown into a global celebration of sustained commitment to protecting people and the planet. This Earth Month, we’re sharing 30 simple ways to make every day Earth Day.
1.Watch: “A Guerilla Gardener in South Central LA | Ron Finley”
Watch Ron Finley’s TED Talk, “A Guerilla Gardener in South Central LA” to learn more about how guerilla gardening can transform food deserts.
2. Read: “All the Way to the Ocean” + “The Radical Undersea Journey of Mr. Dude”
Grab a copy of Joel Harper’s All the Way to the Ocean and Vipe Desai’s The Radical Undersea Journey of Mr. Dude to teach the kids in your life about the impact of littering on the world around them.
3. Listen: “How to Save a Planet”
Listen to Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Alex Blumberg’s podcast How to Save a Planet to learn more about climate solutions.
4. Learn the Lingo
Take some time to learn about climate change, greenhouse gasses and global warming. If you’re not sure where to start, Project Drawdown is a great place to dive in. When you feel like you’ve got that down, do some reading to deepen your understanding of environmental racism, climate justice and intersectional environmentalism.
5. Follow: BIPOC Climate Leaders on Instagram
Follow these BIPOC climate leaders to learn more, and stay up to date with the climate movement: Kristy Drutman (@browngirl_green), Jamie Margolin (@jamie_s_margolin), Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah), Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (@ayaneliza), Kevin Patel (@imkevinjpatel).
6. Get Involved: Patagonia Action Works
Check out Patagonia Action Works and connect with grassroots environmental groups in your area.
7. Avoid food waste – Take Stock of What’s in Your Fridge
According to the EPA, between 30 and 40 percent of the food supply in the United States is wasted. Planning meals ahead of time, making a list of what ingredients you already have on hand, and learning how to properly store perishable items can help you reduce food waste in your household. Check out the ECOlunchbox Three-in-One Classic, Stasher Reusable Silicone Sandwich Bag, and the Kindhumans x Khala & Co Sandwich Wraps to help keep your food fresher, longer.
8. Skip the Prepackaged Meal, Skip the Plastic
Frozen and microwavable meals often come wrapped in excessive amounts of plastic packaging, much of which can’t be recycled. Trading the frozen dinner in for fresh ingredients can help you reduce your plastic footprint and discover a delicious new recipe too! Find some cooking inspiration with Billet + Blade’s collection of handcrafted wooden pieces sure to make you fall in love with your kitchen.
9. Buy Organic, Buy Local
Industrial agriculture relies on pesticides and fertilizers to produce mass amounts of produce, which is then shipped all across the country. Purchasing organic and locally grown produce can help reduce the number of chemicals and carbon dioxide emissions that go into what you’re eating.
10. Check Out Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Large-scale farming often employs environmentally destructive practices. CSAs allow you to support local, small-scale farmers directly by paying, either weekly or upfront, to receive fresh produce each week from local farmers. Check out Local Harvest to find a CSA near you.
11. BYOBag (Covid Edition)
It’s easy to accumulate dozens of plastic bags during your weekly grocery shopping, especially while many grocery stores are temporarily not accepting reusable shopping bags due to Covid-19. But we’ve got a solution—keep a laundry basket or two in the trunk of your car, skip the plastic bags at checkout and load your items directly from the cart into your car. Not only does this save plastic bags, it also makes it way easier to carry your groceries in the house in fewer trips! And if your grocery store is accepting reusable bags, be sure to check out Kindhumans Organic Cotton Tote.
12. Keep Your Lunch Plastic-Free
Packing lunch on the go can quickly turn into a mess of plastic sandwich baggies that you’re forced to throw out at the end of the day. Save yourself the guilt, and the planet the plastic, and switch to these reusable alternatives:
ECOlunchbox Three-in-One Classic, Stasher Reusable Silicone Sandwich Bag, Kindhumans x Khala & Co Sandwich Wraps.
13. Make your Toiletries Plastic Free
Our bathrooms are home to a host of single-use plastic items, built to be disposed of. Swap out your plastic toiletries for The Humble Co’s Bamboo Toothbrush, Meliora Bath + Body Castile’s Soap Bar, and Last Object’s Last Swab.
14. Buy in Bulk + Make it Refillable
Whether it’s hand soap, chips or dental floss, buying in bulk saves plastic and money. Purchasing larger, refillable containers helps reduce the amount of packaging that ultimately ends up in the landfill.
15. Take Shorter Showers
Taking shorter showers, turning off the water while you brush your teeth, and installing low-flow appliances can help you save water in the bathroom.
16. Make Your Landscaping Drought Tolerant
One-third of residential water use goes toward watering lawns and gardens. If you live in a region that gets little rainfall, replacing concrete and water-intensive grass lawns with native drought-tolerant plants can reduce the amount you need to water your outdoor space.
17. Capture Microplastics in your Wash
Synthetic plastic fibers from your clothing can come off in the wash and end up in nearby bodies of water. The Cora Ball and LEUS Eco Wash Bags help catch these microfibers before they enter our waterways.
18. Run Your Dishwasher
ENERGY STAR-rated dishwashers use an average of 24 fewer gallons of water than washing dishes by hand. So go ahead and run your dishwasher, just make sure it’s full and preferably on a light-wash or energy-saving cycle.
19. Learn What Recycling Symbols Actually Mean
If you’ve ever wondered what those little numbers on the bottom of plastic containers mean, you’re not alone. While that little triangle symbol might make you think that piece of plastic is for sure recyclable, the number inside is what’s actually important. The number indicates what type of plastic the item is made of. What can and can’t be recycled varies from place to place depending on your provider and their local capabilities. Check with your local waste provider to see what’s recyclable in your area.
20. Properly Dispose of E-Waste
Old cell phones, computers, and other electronics can leach toxic chemicals and damage the environment if they are improperly disposed of. Be sure to research where you can safely donate, recycle, or dispose of these items near you before just tossing them in your trash bin.
21. Donate Old Clothes
Researchers estimate that more than half of fast fashion produced is disposed of in under a year. Donating your old clothes and shopping at thrift stores reduces the environmental toll of fast fashion.
22. Look for Recyclable and Compostable Packaging
Many products are heavily packaged in plastic that can’t be recycled, sentencing it to a life in the landfill. Keep your eye out for products that are packaged in reusable, compostable, or recyclable materials, like these beautiful products from Seed Phytonutrients, River Organics, and Patch.
23. Take a Hike
Spending time outdoors helps you reconnect with nature and learn more about your local environment. Make sure to stay protected from the sun with Manda Organic Sun Paste and Raw Elements Lip Rescue Sunscreen.
24. Learn About Local Wildlife
Learning about local wildlife helps you feel grounded in your environment and deepens your relationship with the biome you exist in. iNaturalist and All About Birds are great resources that will help you identify and learn about the wildlife in your area.
25. Join a Beach Clean Up
Cleaning up the beach, or park if you’re not near water, helps keep plastics and other trash out of our natural environment—helping to keep our outdoor spaces clean, beautiful and healthy. LEUS Beach Towels and Genusee Roeper Polarized Sunglasses are the perfect accessories for any beach day.
26. Make Your Transportation Active
While Covid-19 may have thrown a temporary wrench in carpooling and public transportation, there are still plenty of ways to reduce the impact of your commute. Active transportation such as walking, biking and scootering are great ways to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and get fresh air.
27. Skip the Sheet Mask
While sheet masks are relaxing, unfortunately, most can only be used once before they are disposed of. Instead, look for products like Earth Tu Face Face Mask.
28. Upgrade Your Beauty Game
Between the excessive plastic packaging and hazardous chemicals, many beauty products are far from green. Look for products with minimal or compostable packaging and natural ingredients like River Organics.
29. Try Shampoo Bars
Similar to makeup, shampoo, conditioner and hair products are often packed full of harmful chemicals and come in single-use plastic bottles that are difficult to recycle. Look for shampoo and conditioner bars in recyclable paper or cardboard packaging without parabens, phthalates or sulfates. Check out some of our favorites from HiBar.
30. Stay Hydrated with a Reusable Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is essential to feeling great, but plastic water bottles have created a giant plastic waste problem. Refillable water bottles like the Kindhumans x Miir Bottle can help keep plastic water bottles out of the landfill and our oceans.
Citations
- (EPA)
- (NRDC)
- (NRDC)
- (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
