Happy Earth Day!
Earth day was first observed on April 22nd, 1970 when 20 million people, concerned about the polluted air and rivers and other environmental hazards, gathered outside filling up streets, parks and auditoriums demanding for something to be done to protect the environment. The demand is still there today, but this is on all of us to protect Mother Earth, she gives so much, and asks for nothing in return. We might all want to reread The Giving Tree, because that's her to a T. There are so many small things we can do that will add up over time. If global temperatures keep rising, future generations won't know what chocolate is because the cacao tree, that give us the cocoa, will be no more. We can fix this!
It's an oldie but a goody, remember the 3 R's? Reduce, reuse, recycle.
You can reduce the amount of plastic you use by saying no to things like plastic utensils when you get takeout or plastic bags in the store, especially if you have 1 or 2 items, or better yet bring your own reusable shopping bags. Instead of buying new things, see if you can fix it first. Nowadays with YouTube you can find a DIY/ Fix-It video for pretty much anything.
Reuse, this seems obvious, but when choosing a product go for the reusable option, like a water bottle. I love my stainless steel cup. I drink a lot of water, it keeps my water cool all day long, and I don't waste plastic drinking multiple bottles. Maybe pick yourself up a collapsible stainless steel straw, it's great on the go, and you don't have to feel awkward asking for a straw. I love repurposing things as well, all my old candle jars I reuse to store things like spices and crafts. I even made fairy jars out of a bunch of them for my birthday party. There is always the classic option of donating your unwanted things. You might be thinking, what if they're in no condition to donate? That brings us to the third R.
Recycling is easy, you're going to throw it away anyway, just think before you toss, can this be recycled? And put it in the appropriate bin. It's that simple, and it will go a long in saving this planet for future generations. It's not just things like papers and plastics that can be recycled. Did you know that you can recycle your clothing as well? I'm not just talking about donations, although those are great! Sometimes clothing is too far gone to be donated. Don't just throw it away, there are places you can drop off these items (make sure they are clean and dry) and the fabric will be reused to make things like carpet padding or even rubberized playgrounds. Find out where to recycle anything including batteries, do it you know most Lowe's and Home Depot's take old batteries.
Don't forget about composting, you can start your own compost pile at your house or even contribute to your communities local compost pile.
Other Earth Friendly Tips:
Plant something, a tree, or simply flowers for the bees! Their population is dwindling. Consider giving them a bee bath. No, you don't actually wash the bees. It's essentially a bird bath with stones or pebbles in the water for bees to perch on, so they can safely drink water without the risk of drowning. I'm excited to make mine, I'm recycling my mom's old bird bath that fell off its pedestal.
Turn it off! It's an age-old one, but don't leave the TV, and shut off lights when you leave the room. And don't forget about things using power when they are not on, consider unplugging those or putting them on a power strip you can easily shut off. Don't leave the water running, a lot of people do this when brushing their teeth or even doing dishes.
Have a Happy Earth Day!