Earth Day 2023 is right around the corner. You don’t have to live in a tree or chain yourself to a bulldozer to make a positive impact on the environment. If you want to do some good but don’t know where to begin, I have a short list of small individual changes and actions you can do for Earth Day 2023.
When is Earth Day?
Earth Day happens every year on April 22. The first Earth Day occurred in 1970. Its inspiration stemmed from the growing problem of air pollution, the popularity of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring, and the enormous 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson was moved to use his political power to do something to improve the current state of the environment. He also wanted to merge the enthusiasm and energy of the anti-war protests with growing environmental awareness.
He partnered with Republican Pete McClousky and an activist Dennis Hayes, and with their help and over 85 staff members the first Earth Day was constructed.
Why Celebrate Earth Day 2023?
Earth Day has significantly improved the quality of our air, water, and land.
Shortly after 20 million Americans hit the streets to promote the first Earth Day, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created.
Laws such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act, The Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and others have been passed. Because of these environmental enforcements, millions have been protected from illness and death.
Earth Day is a movement. People from all areas of life from all over the world use Earth day to protect mother Earth. It proves that when all the actions of individuals come together as a collective, huge changes can be made.
How to Celebrate Earth Day 2023
Earthday.org makes it its mission to continue the cause of the original Earth Day. On their website, there are many suggestions on how to support the cause any time of the year. Go to their site for all the details.
Here are a few ways that individuals can take action in their everyday lives to make an impact.
1. Eat a Plant-based Diet
Try eating less meat or have a meatless Earth Day 2023. I’m not suggesting you stop eating it all together or go vegan. However, there are health benefits along with environmental benefits to reducing the amount of meat you consume.
While researching this topic I learned the term “flexitarian”. It’s a person who eats mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts. Meat and dairy make up only a small part of their diet. “Meatless Mondays” are an example of how being a Flexitarian and it’s something we can all try.
According to Sentient Media, the average American eats 274 pounds of meat a year. That number is nearly double what is recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture. Their 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, suggest a person should consume around 1.6 pounds of Meat, Poultry, and eggs per WEEK! As a whole, we are way over-consuming!
All that over-consumption is wreaking havoc on our bodies and our planet. It’s not just an American issue either. It’s a problem worldwide.
The demand for so much meat is causing deforestation. Land needs to be cleared for the large factory farms and for the fields that are needed to grow animal feed.
That deforestation reduces the amount of carbon-absorbing trees, keeping more carbon in the air. To learn more about it read the Greenpeace article called 7 Reasons Why Meat is Bad for the Environment.
2. Find Ways to Eliminate Plastic Single-Use Items
Small acts of green can add up to make a big difference. An act of green is just a change in your lifestyle that is more Earth-friendly.
We use so many single-use plastic items that end up in our landfills and spill into our oceans. Plastic doesn’t degrade like organic material.
It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic. It can get so small that fish and other sea critters eat it and then it gets into our food stream. Other animals eat it too and then they die!
Make conscious choices to not buy or use plastic as much as possible this Earth Day 2023.
Re-Usable Cups Buy yourself a beautiful cup and use it over and over again until it breaks. That can save thousands of cups from being thrown away.
Reusable Bags Keep some in your car or in your purse. That way you’ll always have one when you enter the store.
Bring your own Utensils Keep a set in your glove box with a straw. It’s that easy!
Buy Canned drinks When reaching for a cold drink that will hit the spot go for the aluminum can over a plastic bottle. Just make sure to recycle it when you’re done. Aluminum can be recycled over and over again.
If you have an item made of plastic, use it until it can’t be used again. There is no point in getting rid of it if it’s still in working order. We are trying to prevent things from ending up in the waste stream.
3. Promote Earth Day #investinourplanet #EarthDay
Promote Earth Day to make others aware of the movement. The cause may be important to you and me, but others don’t consider the environmental damage their everyday conveniences are causing. Help plant the seeds that something needs to be done.
Make A Sign or Poster. In the spirit of the protests and rallies of the past and present, make a sign and display it in your window. Place it in your front window at home or on the window of your car. People walking and driving will see it; even if just one person is inspired, it’s worth it.
Make an Earth Day social media post. Show what you are doing on Earth Day to your friends, family, and the online community. You may have just inspired the next environmental activist.
4. Fight Fast Fashion for Earth Day 2023
I’m sure almost all of us have been to one of those stores in the mall or bought something cheap from an online realtor. It’s very affordable but there is a huge unseen cost behind it.
There is so much wrong with fast fashion!! The clothes are cheap and don’t last. 40 million tons of garments get thrown away into landfills or are incinerated every year.
More than 60% of the fabrics used are synthetic. When washed those synthetic fabrics release microplastics into the oceans. For the entire picture of how fast fashion is the 2nd largest industry contributing to pollution read more here.
Shop Second Hand, These days you have so many options for second-hand clothes. You can hit up your local thrift stores or buy from online realtors like Thred Up, Posh Mark, or eBay.
Buy Less! Be mindful of the styles you like and the shapes that look good on you. Curate a small wardrobe of items you love and feel good in. On average 80% of the clothes in a person’s closet never get worn. It goes to show you don’t need that many clothes anyway.
Shop Sustainably When you do purchase a new garment, buy natural organic fabrics. Or buy garments that are made of recycled materials. Rothy Shoes are a good example of a new item made from recycled materials. Do your research. It’s a shame but some companies are misleading about how sustainable their products really are.
Have a clothes Swap! Get together with some friends and have a fashion show! I have had so much fun going to these over the years. I found some good scores and had lots of laughs. Whatever doesn’t find a home can go to the donation center.
Mend Your Clothes Don’t let yourself be fooled. Picking up a needle and thread isn’t hard. You don’t need to go to college to darn a sock. Fix that small hole or tear and wear that garment again and again!
5. Volunteer your Time, Money, or Signature
Volunteer Join others in a clean-up. Make a park or beach litter free while meeting new people who share your passion for a clean Earth.
Donate Give your money to a charity or organization that protects the planet.
Sign a Petition Laws have been put in place to help keep the air and ocean and wildlife clean and safe. Unfortunately, more still needs to be done. Getting legislation to pass takes a lot of work from dedicated people. They need your help by signing petitions. It’s easy but can make a huge impact. For current petitions, you can sign go here.
Start Small this Earth Day 2023
Please know that You don’t have to do it all at once. Instead, start with one idea and do it until it’s easy and move on to the next idea. Living sustainably is a lifestyle and it doesn’t happen overnight. If it’s too stressful you’re less likely to stick with it. Start small but just start. These are all changes we need to begin to implement and teach the next generation so that the Earth retains all its natural beauty for millennia to come.
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