Ways To Celebrate Earth Day

Today & Every Day

Happy Earth Day! Every year I let this day be a great reminder to myself of why I need to get out of my winter shell, go outside and once again get in touch with the Earth. And not to sound too much like my Mom, it is an amazing opportunity to take time to celebrate all the things we are blessed with just by being on this planet. It is a day to reconnect with this beautiful rock, commit to simple changes with big impacts and remind ourselves why it is so important to protect it, not just on this day but every day.

• Start A Garden or Find A Shared One In Your Community. As a gardener myself, I am extremely partial to this tip. One of my favorite things about spring is finally being able to get outside and into the garden. There are so many great benefits to having a garden of your own or working on a community one. Not to mention, the free food throughout the summer and autumn is just the icing on top of it all.
• Find Local Outdoor Events In Your Community. Cities and towns everywhere normally make sure to have events going on for Earth Day and (if they are anything like Calgary) will make sure to post them on all forms of social media so you are sure not to miss them. There is something to be said about how great it feels to get out and be a part of the community where you live and that surrounds you.
• Make The Commitment To Recycle. This is such a simple one that we can all do just by reminding ourselves what is and isn’t trash. Many communities have their own recycling programs and there are always recycling stations willing and happy to take your items. Plus the benefits of keeping recycling out of our landfills is tenfold.
• Or Even Better, Commit To Composting. If you already recycle then this is the next step. In Calgary, we are very lucky with the new city-wide composting program, but even starting a compost at home is extremely easy and will largely reduce your waste, plus it makes amazing fertilizer for your garden (note this may take some time).

• Leave The Car At Home. It is so easy to opt for a car, especially in places where public accessibility is lacking, something I know very well. But whenever possible I try to trade out the Car for either a bike, transit or just plain walking. With the weather getting warmer daily it makes it so much more enticing to get out and enjoy it, especially instead of being gridlocked in traffic.
• Shop the Farmers Market. This is a great activity and I find it is always so much fun wandering around the local market searching for new yummy goodies. Shopping locally not only supports the community but also helps reduce the thousands of kilometers that food normally has to travel to get to your local grocery store.
• Conserve Energy & Water. An oldie but a goodie and oh so simple. Making a conscious effort to turn off the lights or unplug electronics when we are not using them can help the earth out big time. Even better is to go LED with all of the lights in your house (plus if you are in Alberta, there are even rebates for doing this)! Then with water being such a valuable resource and limited for the number of people on Earth, it is important to be careful what we use. Making sure you are not wasting it is extra important. Switching off the lights and turning off our taps is a simple and crucial commitment to make this Earth Day.
• Go Outside. If anything, at least take some time today to get outside and enjoy the beauty that nature has to offer. Whether this is a long hike through the mountains or even just a few minutes enjoying the weather (hot or cold), it’s a good way to remind yourself how great this beautiful rock we call home is.

All photos by Ryan Derish.

What do you do to celebrate Earth Day?