7 Things to do on Earth Day

This week Country Fox explores 7 things to do on Earth Day. Most people have heard about Earth Day, but do you know the history of Earth Day? If you have never participated in Earth Day activities, I have some suggestions for those interested in participating.

Creation of Earth Day

The 1960’s was a decade of upheaval and change. The effects of pollution on the environment started to become glaringly obvious. In 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a book exposing the dangerous effects of pesticides on the environment. In 1969, Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire, exposing the problems with chemical waste disposal.

As more and more problems were exposed, people began to take notice. They began marching and protesting. This started to get politicians to take notice. In 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin started to formulate a plan for Earth Day. He used the anti-Vietnam War “teach-ins” as a guide.

Nelson wanted to create a large-scale, grassroots environmental movement. He announced his Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle in the fall of 1969. Denis Hayes, a young activist was selected as Earth Day’s national coordinator.

Hayes utilized an army of student volunteers to organize the project. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Many major cities held rallies and events. This event was effective at helping raise awareness about environmental issues. During the 1970’s, several important pieces of environmental legislation were passed. These included the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. The Enviromental Protection Agencey was also created in December of 1970.

Today, Earth Day is “the largest secular civic event in the world”. Collaborating with more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. How can you take part in this year’s Earth Day?

7 things to do on Earth Day

1. Plant a tree.

If you have property or access to some land, you could consider planting a tree or two. If you don’t have the ability to plant a tree yourself, you can donate to The Canopy Project. This project works worldwide to help reforest areas in dire need, including those destroyed by fire.

2. Plant pollinator-friendly plants.

Bees and butterflies could use our help! Planting pollinator-friendly plants is a great way to help them out. Interested in how to help bees? Read my blog here. We can’t live without pollinators, so we should do our best to support them.

3. Go and clean-up.

If you are an outgoing person, or you’re in charge of some Boy or Girl Scouts, you could organize a community clean-up. Getting a group of people together to clean up a park, trails or other natural places is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. If you can’t get a group together, you can go out along our trails and pick up garbage as you go. No matter which way you go, please be aware of your surroundings, use gloves and other precautions, and be respectful of private property.

4. Attend an Earth Day Event.

Head on over to Earthday.org to find out where the nearest event is being held. These events are usually educational and held outdoors.

5. Recycle.

It goes without saying, but many people today recycle. If you do, celebrate Earth Day by taking your recyclables to the drop off. If you don’t recycle yet, save up your plastic, cans and glass until Earth Day and take them to a recycling center. This is a great way to see how much we can keep out of a landfill.

If you don’t have space to save up recyclables, or you live in a place that doesn’t collect recyclables don’t worry. Start looking into the changes you can make that will help. Can you cut down on the amount of plastic you use? Earthday.org has some great suggestions on getting rid of single use plastics.

6. Do a closet cleanout and learn about sustainable fashion.

Earthday.org has a few suggestions about how to make fashion a more environmentally friendly affair. But since Spring just started, maybe you want to do a closet cleanout and donate your charity of choice.

7. Take a walk or a hike.

Maybe money is tight, and you have no place to plant. Perhaps you can’t collect recyclables and have no clothes to donate. Group get-togethers might not be your thing. That’s okay! Get out and take a walk. You can visit a state park or one of the many local rails-to-trails trail systems. Try to spend at least a few minutes out in nature and enjoy.