Earth Day is April 22, but protecting the planet is something we can do every day. We’ve outlined some habits everyone can adopt to help protect the planet every day, along with some fun ways to celebrate Earth Day.
April 2023. This article is independently written by Shelby Golding. All opinions given are hers. Shelby has been certified as a personal trainer and nutritional specialist since 2007. In 2008, she found her passion for writing about these topics and hasn't looked back.
Earth Day is April 22, a reminder to celebrate the planet while raising awareness of environmental issues. Ideally, though, we should incorporate this awareness of protecting the Earth into our daily lives by making small changes. We can do this by reducing waste, conserving energy and water, using sustainable transportation, buying sustainable products, and supporting local ecosystems.
About Earth Day
Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day to raise awareness about how we should protect the planet and why it matters. It's the world's largest and most celebrated environmental event.
Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day on April 22, 1970. After witnessing the student anti-war movement, he was inspired to create a day of environmental action and awareness. So, Nelson organized the first Earth Day alongside the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Celebrating Earth Day
We have many options for celebrating Earth Day on April 22 – you might plant a tree or clean up the trash around your local part. But you can also make Earth Day celebrations a part of your daily life by recycling and continually educating yourself about environmental issues.
10 Earth Day Activities and Ideas
Here are some ideas for celebrating Earth Day on April 22:
- Organize a community cleanup at a natural location like a park or beach.
- Promote green spaces and biodiversity by planting trees to save habitat for endangered species act.
- Educate others about the importance of protecting the environment.
- To reduce waste and encourage reuse, host a "swap meet" where people trade clothes, toys, and other items.
- Encourage local artists to produce artwork that promotes awareness of environmental issues by holding an eco-friendly art competition.
- Get involved in environmental work in your local community garden, local park, and national parks.
- Conduct a conversation and documentary screening on greenhouse gas emissions to save the environment.
- Participate in (or host) a local farmer's market to advance sustainable food systems. Balance our use of natural resources by producing a nutrient-dense whole food that improves human health and nutrition.
- Set up a "zero waste" challenge to cut waste with friends, family, or coworkers.
- Write to your local government to urge them to support laws and regulations that safeguard the environment.
13 Everyday Earth Day Habits and Practices
Here are some habits and practices you can adopt in your daily life to celebrate Earth Day every day:
- Go zero waste: You don't have to be perfect, but do what you can to reduce your waste by reducing, reusing, and recycling the items in your life. For example, take your recyclable items to your local recycling center and sort them to increase the chances that they'll be appropriately recycled.
- Reduce food waste: Start a compost bin to turn your food scraps into nourishing soil for plants. You can donate your compost to a local community garden if you don't garden.
- Focus on clean energy: Use renewable energy sources, like solar or wind, whenever possible. For example, install solar panels on your roof and invest in a hybrid or electric car when it's time to buy a new one.
- Use less energy: Reduce your energy use by unplugging electronics when they're not in use, turning off lights when you leave rooms, and weatherizing your home.
- Opt for minimalism: Reduce the number of material items you consume by living a minimalist lifestyle – minimalism can also help you save money!
- Support eco-friendly companies: Buy from eco-friendly companies that produce products manufactured from sustainable materials.
- Get involved: Volunteer with local environmental organizations or projects in your downtime – this can also be an excellent way to make new friends!
- Change your transportation: Choose environmentally-friendly modes of transportation whenever you can. These include walking, biking, or public transit.
- Reduce your water usage: By taking shorter showers, addressing leaks, and turning off the faucet when you're not actively using the water (no more letting it run while you brush your teeth), you can lower your water usage.
- Support native wildflowers and plants: Incorporate native plants and wildflowers into your garden or landscape – this helps support local ecosystems and provide essential habitats for native pollinators and wildlife. And remember to use eco-friendly pesticides and fertilizers to protect the living things you attract!
- Swap Kitchen and Household Products: Choose kitchen and home goods made with eco-friendly materials such as glass, bamboo, or recycled plastic. You can also look for reusable silicone bags, bamboo paper products (e.g., toilet paper and paper towels), cloth napkins, and non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning supplies.
- Eat less meat: Meat production contributes to climate change and isn't good for the planet. Consider limiting your meat consumption to one or two days a week.
- Go vegan or vegetarian: The EPA recommends going vegan or vegetarian to protect the planet instead of simply eating less meat.
The Planet Needs You
According to the United Nations, we're currently facing a Triple Planetary Crisis. This refers to three primary issues:
1. Climate change is humanity's most pressing issue – it refers to long-term changes in weather patterns and temperatures that will irreversibly alter the ecosystems we rely on for life on Earth. And human activities are the primary causes of climate change. Consequences of climate change already apparent today include rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice caps, declining biodiversity, and the increased intensity and frequency of droughts, water scarcity, and wildfires.
2. Pollution impacts almost every aspect of our planet, including the air and ocean. Seven million people die prematurely due to air pollution every year. And we can witness the sheer amount of pollution in the sea with one look at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Human activities are the cause of pollution on our planet.
3. Biodiversity loss refers to the disappearance or decline of the many animals, plants, and ecosystems that make up the biological diversity on Earth. The reasons are caused by humanity's habits, which have led to things like overfishing, habitat destruction, and, of course, climate change. According to the UN, "Biodiversity loss impacts food supplies and access to clean water – without it we have no future on our planet."
2. Pollution impacts almost every aspect of our planet, including the air and ocean. Seven million people die prematurely due to air pollution every year. And we can witness the sheer amount of pollution in the sea with one look at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Human activities are the cause of pollution on our planet.
3. Biodiversity loss refers to the disappearance or decline of the many animals, plants, and ecosystems that make up the biological diversity on Earth. The reasons are caused by humanity's habits, which have led to things like overfishing, habitat destruction, and, of course, climate change. According to the UN, "Biodiversity loss impacts food supplies and access to clean water – without it we have no future on our planet."
"Each of these issues has its own causes and effects, and each issue needs to be resolved if we are to have a viable future on this planet," reads an article from the UN explaining the Triple Planetary Crisis. "The consequences of our recklessness are already apparent in human suffering, towering economic losses and the accelerating erosion of life on Earth."
Don't Forget to Celebrate Yourself
Incorporating these easy, practical habits into your life is an excellent way to celebrate Earth Day year-round. If we work together, we can make a difference, protect the environment, and create a more sustainable world for ourselves and future generations. But you need to celebrate and care for yourself to ensure you have the energy to stand up for the causes you believe in! That's where Kailo comes in.
Any time you’re dealing with chronic pain, simply apply your Kailo Pain Patch near the site of pain and breathe a sigh of relief. Kailo is backed by science and designed to relieve pain in seconds. And a recent clinical study showed that 99% of patients felt pain relief within 10 minutes of applying the Kailo patch.
