We might not be able to go out explore our favorite places on Earth right now, but we can still do our part to celebrate and protect our planet.
Here are a few great ways to celebrate Earth Day while still abiding by social distancing and quarantine rules.
👉 Use Ecosia—this search engine uses their profits to plant trees around the world in locations where they're needed most.
👉 Go meatless one day a week. Not only is it going to help to reduce your carbon footprint, it can also help to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (Plus it's a fun way to change up the meals you eat, and it's healthy, too!) Need some recipes? Beyond Meat has some amazing ideas.
👉 Go paperless! If you're not already, consider making the switch to online billing.
👉 Instead of Amazon, do your shopping on Loop Store. Loop allows you to "shop for leading brands, now reimagined to be waste free and exclusively available through Loop."
👉 Sign up for a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program—this allows you to support your local farmers, and eat well...that's a win, win. Visit Local Harvest to find one near you. (Alternatively you can also choose to donate a CSA to someone in need. Such an awesome way to give back if you have the means!)
👉 Spend time outside SAFELY! Go outside to do your yoga, or take a walk around your neighborhood. We're allowed to enjoy the outdoors, in fact most still encourage it as long as we do so responsibly. (Many say that a good practice is to draw a 10-mile radius circle around your town...that's as far as you can go exploring right now. Challenge yourself to find a hidden gem within those 10 miles.)
👉 Let the light in—if it's a bright sunny day, forgo flipping the light switch and open your blinds instead. Need to turn the lights on? Consider switching to energy efficient bulbs.
👉 Get your garden ready for planting season. (Living in Colorado, it's a little too soon to start outdoor gardening...but you can get your plant beds ready now—if you've got plants germinating indoors, when season comes they'll be ready to move out!)
👉 Set your alarm to wake up and see the sunrise, or make sure to get outside to appreciate the sunset.
👉 Netflix and chill with some environmental and animal documentaries. A few I found really interesting: A Plastic Ocean, Terra, Chasing Coral, The Ivory Game, Mission Blue, Cowspiracy, Our Planet.
👉Respect closed trailheads and campgrounds. It might be a real bummer now, but they'll be ready and waiting when we can get back out (probably in even more pristine condition than when we left them!).
👉Recycle!
👉Now is a great time to go through your closet and find those gently loved items that aren't getting so much love these days. Set aside a pile for donation, and help "clothes" the loop. Many brands will take your unwanted clothing to upcycle them or make a donation on your behalf, some even offering discounts on future purchases. (Madewell, ThredUP, North Face)
👉 Make a bird feeder. (Here's a great DIY option if you're trying to find a way to repurpose a plastic bottle).
👉 Donate to organizations supporting environmental and outdoor advocacy, or animal welfare if you have the means. (Some favorites of mine: Ocean Conservancy, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Lonely Whale, Outdoor Alliance, Protect Our Winters, Leave No Trace)
👉Take a peek in your garbage and take inventory of the waste you're producing. Maybe even just for one day right down every single-use item you use and throw away. See where you can make more sustainable choices.
👉 Make your own disinfectant with household items. (Love this DIY option!)
👉 Challenge yourself to going ONE DAY without producing any trash.
👉 Conserve water where you can—take shorter showers, be mindful of how long you're running water while doing dishes, or brushing your teeth.
👉 Make what's old new again...bonus: it will make for a fun DIY project to tackle! Stained your favorite shirt? Tie dye it. Has your coffee table seen better days? Sand that bad boy down and refinish it.
👉 Pick up trash you see outside—remember to wear gloves!
👉 Use cold water when doing laundry—its more energy efficient, and it may even help to reduce color fading from your clothes and help to keep items from shrinking.
👉 Start composting. With the virus, we're all likely reaching for packaged goods more than we might normally (myself included)...to try to offset those purchases, consider composting. (Amazon has some great options for indoor and outdoor composters, or you can try another DIY project and make your own!)
Happy Earth Month everybody! Do what you can to show this planet just how much you love it all month long (and every day after that, too 😊). 💚🌏💙