While Earth Day is one of those hoilidays people do not take the most swerious such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years etc, and while every day is technically a day to be kind to the planet, this is a day to show appreciation and get into new habits if needed. There are so many little things you can do to celebrate and help save the Earth, and we’ve got 10 super easy ideas below!
1. Plant something
Trees not only cool things down (collectively, they can help decrease a city’s temperature by up to 10 degrees) but they also clean the air and give off more oxygen, among a ton of other benefits. Plant one in your family’s yard (if Mom or Dad need convincing, tell them that it’s been proven that trees can increase your property value by 15%). Another option is to plant your own fruits and veggies which will benefit your health and reduce the amount of fossil fuel emissions by not having to transport the food to stores.
2. Ride your bike
Find transportation alternatives that help reduce your carbon footprint but get you moving.The fewer cars on the road, the less carbon emissions polluting the air and contributing to global warming. Riding your bike and just taking a walk are two of the best options available. And if you don’t have a bike or don’t know how to ride one, carpool or take public transportation.
3.Let your voice be heard
Feeling passionate about a certain environmental cause or piece of legislation that you believe should be passed? Check out some of the excellent youth climate activist organizations out there like Sunrise Movement, Zero Hour, Extinction Rebellion Youth, and Fridays for Future. See how you can volunteer with them and participate in the many initiatives they’re already working on. Write an email to your local representative to share your thoughts. Here’s how to find their contact info. You can also start or sign a petition for something you’d like to see changed. Go to change.org to get started.
4. Get produce from a local farmer’s market
Besides supporting area businesses, you’ll also be helping the Earth by buying your fruits and veggies local. That’s because food in the grocery stores travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to you, and all that shipping can cause pollution plus an increase of fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions. When you buy locally, it’s transported in shorter distances. Community Supporter Agriculture, or CSA, is also a great way to get local, seasonable produce delivered to your door. Sign up for one in your area, or recommend if to your parents.
5. Use a refillable water bottle
Just because you’re tossing your plastic water bottles into the recycling bin doesn’t mean they're not hurting the environment. Besides the fact that it takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture all of those bottles each year, there are still over two million tons of water bottles that have ended up in U.S. landfills. Buy a reusable bottle, preferably one that has a filter attached to it, so you’ll be getting fresh water every time.
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