Earth Day - Celebrating our Home
Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22nd. Did you know that Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world? That's right, Earth day spans all religions, political parties, countries, and backgrounds - the Earth is home to us all and we all have a responsibility to her.
There are so many things we can do to celebrate our home planet...and we will get to those in a moment. Perhaps the most important thing we can do though, is to talk with our kids about the day to day things we can do to help protect the Earth. Here are some simple lifestyle changes that you can make to show a little love to the Earth:
Ditch single use products: from disposable flatware to plastic baggies...the convenience of single use products is catching up to us.
We use Stasher Bags in place of plastic baggies in our house. They are durable, sturdy, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all your needs...and they are 25% off in celebration of Earth Day! https://www.stasherbag.com/
Stop by your local second-hand store and grab some flatware and cloth napkins! Have a "to-go" spoon, knife, and fork wrapped in a cloth napkin that you can stow in your bag so that you can say "No Thanks" to the plastic flatware that comes with take out food. They also sell reusable flatware kits online if you'd prefer to have something cute and matchy matchy! Flatware Kit
Take a shower: This can be tough with tiny kiddos - but for your big kids, have them take a shower instead of a bath. On average, a bath uses 36 gallons to fill the tub...while a shower with a 2 gallon/min head on it, will only use 20 gallons in 10 minutes (which should be plenty of time!). We have shower heads that are even less than 2 gallons/min! If your kiddos love to play in the water, try showering them with the drain plugged...when they are done being washed, let them splash around for a few in the water that is left in the tub. Best of both worlds!
Think about packaging: Can you find peanut butter in a glass jar instead of plastic? Pasta in a cardboard box instead of a plastic bag? Lettuce by the head instead of in a clam-shell container? Next time you are out shopping, pay attention to what type of packaging you are buying and see if there is a way to green-up your grocery routine. Glass, cardboard, and cans are better options from a recycling standpoint than plastic...and no packaging is even better! There are tons of options for reusable produce bags, reusable grocery bags, and you can save your glass jars and lids to store bulk items. Get your kids involved and see who can find the most earth friendly products at the store!
Now for the Earth Day celebrations! Here are some ideas for things you can do on Earth Day!
Walk or bike instead of drive - try walking or biking for one of your errands, even if it is your trip to the park!
Hang dry your clothes - doing laundry on Earth Day? Dry your clothes on a rack to save the energy from using your dryer.
Eat local - plan a meal made from locally sourced ingredients. Did you know that the less distance your food has to travel, the better it is for the Earth? It also tends to be picked closer to ripeness so the boost in flavor is awesome as well!
Plant something - a tree, a seed, a flower...start something green, inside or out!
Clean up trash - this is a favorite in our house, as the snow melts we put on gloves, grab a bag, and collect trash from along the roads in town. We are always shocked with how much we come up with.
Make a green plan - sit together and talk about changes that you can make to your every day routine that would help conserve energy and use fewer resources.
Enjoy Earth Day this Thursday and I hope you find some inspiration to think about the ways in which our every day actions impact the environment, and the simple changes that you can make to ensure the Earth goes on to live a long and healthy life!
Stay Wild and Free,
Michelle