Earth Day can truly be such a magical minor holiday. It always comes when the weather is finally warming, the flowers are blooming, and birds are singing—it’s the perfect time of year to appreciate how beautiful and precious our planet is.
It’s easy to be green. While every day is technically a day to be kind to the planet, April 22 is Earth Day—a time to show appreciation and get into new habits. Here are 10 things to do Earth Day to support the planet.
1. If you must shop, shop local, shop secondhand.
Personally, I am attempting to do a no-spend day because there is nothing I will NEED that can’t wait until tomorrow. This also allows me to reevaluate if I really need it in the first place. , but if you must spend, invest in your community! Shop your materials goods at a local thrift store or go to a farmers market for the food items you might need. Refer to this Instagram Reel for some more grocery shopping tips. Don’t forget your reusable bags!
2. Pick up some trash
Another thing to do on Earth day is organize a trash clean up, volunteer at a trash clean up (find some in your area using this interactive map) or if you see something, do something. Whichever practice you adopt, we can all do our part to make the world a little cleaner place to live in.
3. Spend your evening by Candlelight
I’m looking at this as more of a fun Earth Day challenge but even with all of our environmentally friendly energy sources, it’s good for the soul and the earth to tune out all the digital nonsense for the evening. Brownie points if you use a sustainably sourced candle from your local boutique shop.
4. Walk or Ride Your Bike To Your Destination
Sometimes we get so used to our modern-day conveniences we forget about our more basic modes of transportation. Enjoy a walk to the grocery store to pick up what you need (see above), or ride your bike to your friend’s house to tell them all about the fun Earth Day activities you have planned for them.
5. Unsubscribe from email lists
The world has made it so easy for us to impulse buy whenever there is a deal or a sale in our inbox. Unsubscribe from marketing emails so you are not tempted whenever they have the newest item in stock, or when Alix Earle has a new outfit TikTok. (No shame, love you booboo)
You can do the same with mailed-out catalogs as well! Sign up for the free opt-out service at catalogchoice.org and they’ll help you get your name off the mailing lists for all those unwanted pieces of mail.
6. Fight Fast Fashion
Check out this TEDx talk that was held here in Las Vegas. Jennifer Inaba’s, Is Mindfulness Out of Fashion, discusses troubling truths about production, manufacturing and labor practices within the fashion industry. In order to support a vicious cycle of overproduction and overconsumption, the environment and garment workers around the globe suffer. Government regulation, in the form of legislation such as the FABRIC Act, and increased transparency throughout the supply chain, are two frequently cited tactics to drive the fashion industry toward a more sustainable future.
7. Go Meatless
Why is this relevant? Well, meat is one of the largest contributing factors toward climate change. For one day give it a try! Look up some vegetarian recipes like this Vegetarian Cheesy Taco Pasta and give it a whirl. You might end up liking it. You might be surprised at the taste and how you feel afterwards! Incorporating a Meatless Monday one day a week where you opt out of meat consumption makes a difference in the amount of emissions being omitted into pour atmosphere!
8. Unplug electronics you are not using
This seems like an obvious one but it really does help. When we leave things plugged in like an iPhone charger it is constantly using energy. The energy amount may not be significant, but times that amount by billions of people and you get a lot of wasted energy consumption! The most basic thing you can do on Earth Day is unplug your electronics.
9. Make Your Voice Heard
Check out these action plans and petitions on EarthDay.org. Change starts with action. Better yet, an action that affects the world around you. A Billion Acts of Green are happening across the planet. Find one you like, sign, support, and share it!
10. Fix that leaky faucet
There’s no better day than earth day to do some home improvements. If you have a faucet in your home that has a small leak, its time to take action and get it fixed! Call your maintenance worker today to set up your appointment in time for Earth day so you can enjoy a leak free home!
BONUS: Make a donation to the Climate Reality Project
With our planet in crisis, this Earth Day must serve as a crucial reminder that rising global temperatures have catastrophic consequences. But together, we really can turn things around. This Earth Day, a generous donor is matching the first $25,000 toward our ambitious $100,000 goal! Make a matched gift and DOUBLE your impact on our grassroots movement’s work to fight the climate crisis and build a just, sustainable future.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be earth day for you to continue some of these practices. Save this post for later so you can make earth day habits, everyday habits.
