Senator Gaylord Nelson had an idea for Earth Day when he actually thought of finding a way to put back the focus on environment once and for all. Earth Day is all about “going green” in your own way. Listen to songs like “The Three R’s” by Jack Johnson from the curious George CD, go plant a new kitchen garden or just hug some trees. It’s all on you, just do your bit. Join millions around the earth in celebrating the Earth Day, on April 22nd. Here are 10 ways you can join the celebration:
USE ALTERNATE TRANSPORT
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Drive less, shift to other means of transport like walking, cycling or public transportation. Carbon emissions from vehicles are one of the worst causes of global warming, for you a short travel from your home to work may not be a big polluter, but in reality a drive of about 10 miles emits around 19 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air; and when multiplied by the number of daily car users, the number is astronomical. Taking alternate transportation will not only help the environment but will also help you in saving money.
REDEUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE
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Adopt these three R’s as your biggest commitment on this Earth Day. Reduce the amount of waste produced; Reuse the item, or find someone who can use it; Recycle the product so that our valuable natural resources can be used again and again. These three R’s not only help us reduce the amount of trash we produce, increase the life cycle of products but also help us to reduce our carbon footprint.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT
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Earth Day is a good time to learn more about the environment and the ways you can help to protect it. Make use of books from the library and read up on issues such as pollution, climate change etc. concerning the environment. Learn about regions you have never considered before like the rainforests and the Arctic. Think about the issues that are of grave concern and join a group that undertakes activities to protect the environment in that particular area.
SET UP A COMPOST BIN
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You can build your own compost bin with wooden pallets and wire, but if there is less time you can always buy one from the market at quite an affordable price. It is a perfect way to celebrate earth day as it’s not a one- time thing, you will be reducing waste as long as you stick to this system. A composting system in your yard acts as a very rich fertilizer and that too free of cost. All to have to bear is the smell of the decaying organic material when you stir it after a couple of days.
UPDATE YOUR LIGHTBULBS; PRACTICE HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY
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Change from your incandescent light bulbs to energy- saving fluorescent. We can prevent carbon emissions equivalent to that of more than 800,000 cars. If even one incandescent bulb is replaced with a compact fluorescent light in every house. Use energy- efficient appliances and products, by doing this you will not only reduce your carbon footprint but also save your money. Engage in this Earth Day activity and it will pay you in the long run too.
PLANT TREES
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Earth Day is all about celebrating our magnificent planet that we call home, and what better way would be other than planting a tree. Planting trees is the best way to go environmentally green as they absorb carbon- dioxide from the environment to a very great extent. Planting trees also help in preventing soil erosion. So plant anything, shrubs, grasses etc. in your garden and do your bit in making the air we breathe cleaner and the land we see greener.
CONSERVE WATER
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Considering the water shortage in the world, the amount of water we use in our everyday activities seems to be a bit shocking; in a 10- minute shower we consume up to 50 gallons i.e. 189 liters of water. It’s not about making drastic changes in your routine but with small changes you can conserve water to a great extent. Choose a short shower and you will save up to 200 liters of water, run full loads in your dishwasher and washing machines and make little repairs in your house such as a leaky valve or toilet, which can save more than 500 gallons a year!
COOK UP AN EARTH DAY MEAL AND PLAY EARTH DAY GAMES
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Plan a menu using healthy locally produced foods that have minimal impact on the environment. Try to use more of vegetable and bean products, as they use fewer resources to grow. If you really want to have meat, then look for locally produced organic meat. Make decorations around the table with recycled products. Make your children realize the importance of the day by playing online Earth Day games like “clean up your world” with them.
DRESS ECO- FRIENDLY
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Going eco-friendly is definitely in. There are many companies in the market that are creating eco-friendly clothing. Check out with popular brands like H&M, Victoria’s Secret and others, they are doing their bit to be green. Wear brown, green or other environmental colored dresses for the day. Buy eco consciously, wear badges with keywords as “plant a tree”, “save earth” etc or wear t-shirts that have brief summaries of your environmental views and help in spreading awareness among the hoi polloi.
ORGANIZE EVENTS
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Use recycled materials to make and decorate earth day cards, then send them to friends and family. Hold an Earth Day fair in your neighborhood, get local residents together, include demonstrations of environment friendly products, children’s artwork, animal care, and organize games for. Money raised from this fair can go towards an environment restoration project agreed upon by all the participants.
The best way to celebrate Earth Day is to extend the celebration even when the earth day has passed. If you celebrate earth day by setting up a compost bin, make sure that you stick with composting your waste. If you have planned to conserve water, make it a habit to do this the other 365 days also. Once you have replaced your light bulbs remember to turn them off when you leave the room. These little habits can make our environment more healthy and safe to live in. If you do this religiously your purpose of Earth Day would be complete.