365 Days of Earth Day
On Friday, April 22, the Earth will pause to allow for millions across the globe to consider their appreciation for the environment upon which humankind is dependent. Earth Day has been connecting individuals in a shared responsibility for the planet since its birth in 1970, and has grown to encompass a global rally of over one billion people each year. While its efforts are enormously effective in raising awareness and engaging both children and adults alike, many are simply scrubbing the earth tattoos from their cheeks and returning to their daily routines in wake of the festivities. Yet, they may be surprised to discover that leading an environmentally-conscious lifestyle is actually simpler and much more satisfying than the consumeristic, disposable one that, inexplicably, is the norm.
The changes start with the beginning of the school day; forgo the pollutant-emitting car and hitch a ride on public transit, a bike, scooter, skateboard, or – here’s a novel idea – your legs. Take it the extra mile and bring your own drink instead of hitting up the local coffee shop, or request that your barista fill your order in a reusable bottle brought from home.
Keep up the efforts and make the best part of the day even better by snacking on a lunch full of local, non-packaged goodies. By doing your best to purchase locally-grown foods, you reduce the ecological footprint your turkey sandwich created on the way to your grocery cart, and simultaneously support the local economy. Packaged snacks, furthermore, are often no better for your body than they are for the land on which their wrappers end up; loaded with chemicals you won’t find on your periodic table, those deceptive treats shouldn’t be going in your stomach or the landfill.
While the last few tips may require some prior planning, there are plenty of lifestyle tweaks that won’t take more than a moment to execute. For one, many items often chucked into the trash can be composted. Along with the obvious selection of egg shells and leftover dinner scraps, the following are acceptable as long as they have not been contaminated with cleaning products:
Tissues, napkins & paper towels
Paper food packaging & paper plates
Coffee filters & tea bag
After a brief rinse, the following items can be recycled:
Clear plastic containers & bottles
Glass bottles & jars
Aluminum & metal cans
Plastic bags
Protective packaging .
As a general guideline, simply commit yourself to more renewable habits: use towels and napkins made of cloth rather than paper, carry a reusable water bottle, and invest in a set of reusable lunch containers. After all, the Earth has your back 365 days a year – isn’t it about time you started paying off your debts?
Information derived from earthday.org and toronto.ca.
Photo credit: americandisposal.com