Earth Day Is Like Valentine's Day for The Planet
This April 22nd is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, not too shabby.
Someone asked recently “If we’re trying to make a difference everyday is there really any reason for Earth Day?” (well, something like that)
Well to me Earth Day is like Valentine’s Day; you don’t love people just one day a year, you love then all year and just make it a little more special once a year.
I think it’s a great day to start some of those green changes that you’d been planning on making but just hadn’t found time for yet.
Most areas have warmed up enough by Earth Day that you can start planting. If you don’t have a lot of room or a big garden feels a little daunting, start with something small and easy. Herbs are easy to grow and can be grown inside. Another really easy edible to grow is lettuce. 
At our old house I had a planter with just lettuce in it. I bought it the farmers market and just a few days after bringing it home I was able to start eating it. I loved that I could go cut a couple leaves and have a salad right from my back yard. I’m not the best at remembering to water my plants (probably the reason they don’t do very well) and the lettuce really stood up to my infrequent watering. I definitely plan on growing some here as well.
Another good place to start is with your purchases. Buying from thrift stores is a great choice, but sometimes you need to buy new. When you do look for “made with organic cotton”, “made from recycled materials”, “post-consumer recycled materials”, plus upcycled, reused and repurposed.
You know I love TerraCycle (even before all the giveaways) so I think they’re a great shopping choice for greener purchases. Starting on April 5th and only through the end of the month their products will be available at every single Wal-Mart! And not just a couple of products, it will be everything; classics like Capri sun lunch boxes and new items like m&m purses, cool!
Now some of you may have cringed a little at the name Wal-Mart and while I admit my feelings toward them have not always been very positive here’s what I think. I know (or believe) that TerraCycle is a great green company that is truly trying to make a difference. If they do well at Wal-Mart then maybe Wal-Mart will support more truly green companies. It all comes down to voting with your dollars; if we demand better, we’ll get better.
Ok, coming back down off my soapbox now.
All the little things count too on Earth Day. Turn the lights off when you leave a room or don’t turn them on at all if it’s sunny. Wash that plastic food container (by hand) and use it again instead of recycling it. Be like Dylan and let it mellow when it’s yellow. Ok, that one takes a little getting used to, but it’s really not that bad.
This Earth Day make it big, make it small, but make it something. Every little change matters and you never know, you may just start a new habit.
Do you have any plans for Earth Day?
Do you think we should have an Earth Day or should we live like everyday is Earth Day?
Do you think big box stores really can change and will change if we want them to?
5 comments:
We get greener every year. I try to get the people at work to stop killing the trees with their wasted paper. it's slow but it improves.
Not sure what we're going to do for Earth Day this year, since I'm not sure exactly where we'll be. ;-)
However, I do think we should take a special day to celebrate Earth Day. It's just such a great reminder to take some time to be thankful, even if we are doing what we can to be greener every day.
I have to admit I don't have a lot of faith in the big box stores or their willingness to change. But I am glad for every great item that makes it into those stores.
We do celebrate it, but then again, we're a nature lovin family as it is, so it's kinda more than one day. lol. I'll hopefully be tilling the ground for my expanded garden this year. AND...how funny? I just planted lettuce seedings for thefirst time! Not sure how they'll do, but I'm hopeful.
omg that last few yrs for earth day we were living in urban san diego, across the street from balboa park, one of the largest earth day demos in the country, about 500,000 people, it's huge! and we walked amongst the hippies and earth lovers and crunchy people and i felt so at home. here in phoenix,there is none of it and i am sad. i wish there was :) Enjoy earth day and thx for indulging my trip down memory lane :)
xoxo
I think Earth day is a good idea, because not everyone is passionate or even aware of what to do to be green. Earth day promotes awareness and encourages people who think they don't care to follow the crowd and be green, even if its only for a day. But yes, we should be kind to the earth every day! Of course.
Big box stores can and will change if we vote with our dollars. They go where the money is so if everyone wants them to be green, I believe they will do what they can to please the market.
Post a Comment