Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and while nobody expected to celebrate six feet apart, look at the bright side – you can still hug a tree.
Since its first Earth Day in 1970, the network has grown to serve more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries by driving positive action for the planet. Earth Day is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, mobilizing more than 1 billion individuals to help drive change. While we navigate through this global pandemic, we have all become so familiar with, Earth Day organizers have found a creative way to celebrate. They are hosting a three-day livestream and will be presenting various activities and events digitally accessible for everyone. A full scope of these online actions can be viewed at earthday.org.
With the majority of us instructed to work from home, we are already impacting the planet in a positive way simply by not commuting. There are now fewer cars on the road, leading to less pollution. The fresh air supports cleaner breathing and better mental health. There are plenty of additional ways you can participate in Earth Day all from the comfort of your home.
- Try switching to a plant-based diet and compost regularly
- For those grocery runs, bring reusable bags and nix the plastic ones
- Go online and switch all your bills to paperless
- While you’re at it, unsubscribe from all the junk mail you receive
- Cleaning out your bedroom closets leads to repurposing old stuff
- Turn off lights and unplug appliances when not in use
- Read a book and skip Netflix – online streaming leaves a big carbon footprint
- Plant a garden
- Make homemade cleaning products with natural ingredients
- Wash laundry in cold water
- Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
- Take quicker showers
- Walk your neighborhood and pick up trash
We can all make a difference when it comes to protecting our planet. Each and every one of us can help set a new global standard by getting involved in both big and small ways. Send in your photos of how you’re making a difference to media@paradisevalley.edu or tag PVCC_official in your social media posts!