7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

This Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day! This year’s event marks the 51st anniversary of the holiday. The commemoration began in 1970 as an awareness movement against toxic drinking water, air pollution, and the effects of pesticides; eventually Earth Day became a national holiday. The theme of this year’s Earth Day focus is “Restore our Earth.”

With the number of natural disasters we’ve seen in recent years, it’s more important than ever to celebrate this holiday. We can all do our part to help heal our planet and make sure it’s more liveable for us and for generations to come. Check out our post for 7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day.

7. Plant more plants. This one is simple. Add more plants to your outdoor space. Whether you have a patio, rooftop garden, or lush backyard - you can do your part; plant a tree, plant a bush, plant some flowers. Due to a process called photosynthesis, plants create the majority of the oxygen we breathe. By adding more plants to our own spaces we can promote healthier, fresh air, and help reduce climate change.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

6. Remove trash and plastic and clean up your neighborhood. Spend a few hours on Earth Day cleaning up your neighborhood of trash; specifically plastic materials that can be harmful to birds and other wildlife. Organize a clean-up with your neighbors or through your work or school. Remember to recycle when possible.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

5. Support pollinators. By helping pollinators do their jobs, we can help boost the natural ecosystem. For example, when we support bees by planting flowers and other foliage to make pollinating more easy and efficient, we help restore dwindling bee populations and promote healthier bees. In turn, our vital food crops and wild flora are able to reproduce and grow more efficiently.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

4. Conserve water. We’re about to come to the hottest months of the year. So, it may be tempting to use gallons of water to make sure you have the greenest lawn on the block. While we love a lush green lawn as much as the next person, let’s shift the focus for Earth Day 2021 to be about conserving water and making smarter choices about our water use. Find ways to reduce your usage; try turning off the sprinklers during the hottest times of the day or putting your water use on a timer, turn off water between washing dishes or when you can during the shower. Small steps each day to reduce water consumption can lead to big impacts.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

3. Recycle and Reuse. Okay, this one is pretty straightforward, people. Prioritize recycling in your life. If you’re at home, make it easy to recycle by having separate bins for trash, plastic recycling and glass recycling. If you don’t have a local recycling pick-up in your city or town, find the nearest community centers with recycling stations and plan a weekly trip to drop off your recyclables. When you’re at work or doing other activities be mindful of the trash you create. Challenge yourself to create as small of a footprint as possible when you go out by using reusable materials (bags, cups, straws, containers, etc) and be sure to recycle when you can.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

2. Switch to paperless.The world has gone digital. Yes, you already know this but do you still have paper bills, bank statements, and other printed materials coming to your house in the mail? Take 15 minutes this week and login to your monthly bills (think of things like utility bills, bank accounts, pay stub, drivers licence renewals, car registrations, etc.) and make sure all of them are set to digital statements. Besides saving paper, you’ll help reduce carbon emissions by lowering the amount of time, effort, and energy required to deliver physical statements.

Photo from Burst from Pexels

1. Make necessary repairs to your home. Last but not least make a few changes around your house to make your home more energy efficient. Switch out old light bulbs to energy efficient ones, fix leaky faucets, change to an energy efficient thermostat, unplug unused electrical devices (don’t keep cords plugged in 24/7), replace sealants around your windows, and install low-flow shower heads. Yes, doing things like this will cost a big upfront, but you’ll save both money and energy in the long run.

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

Ready for more lifestyle articles, product features and healthy living tips? Check out the other articles in our HAPARI blog. We include special product spotlights, healthy eating and fitness advice, and exclusive insider deals on our swimwear. 

Header Photo by Globelink Insurance from Pexels