Earth Day

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!! Earth Day was created to inspire awareness and appreciation for our environment. The very first Earth Day celebration was on April 22, 1970. The celebration has been expanded in many communities across the country (and the world) as EARTH WEEK (April 16th through April 23rd). All of these celebrations focus on environmental issues and ways we can ALL make a difference to preserve our planet.
There are so many things that we can do to make that happen. Ya know the phrase "reduce, reuse and recycle"? That's just the tip of the iceberg but it's a GREAT place to start!
REDUCE - Think twice about the number of goods you purchase. Do you REALLY need to buy that book or can you check it out from your local library? Are you able to walk to the grocery store instead of driving thereby reducing the amount of gas you consume? Install a low-flow shower head to reduce your water consumption.
REUSE - Instead of tossing things out because they are worn out or stained, etc., find a new use for the item. Be creative!! How about covering old cereal boxes with brown paper and using them as shipping boxes for sending items to friends and family? It works and it saves you a couple of bucks on a new box for shipping. Try using coffee grounds and tea leaves as natural plant fertilizer. Instead of tossing out those nylon mesh vegetable bags (you know the ones that bulk onions and some citrus fruits are packaged in), wad it up and use it as a scrubber for various cleaning tasks around the house. Buy a stainless steel water bottle and refill it with water instead of buying a plastic water bottle (you are REDUCING the amount of plastic for recycling and REUSING the water bottle by doing this!!).
RECYCLE - Take old magazines to work for others to read while on lunch breaks or take them to local bookstores for reselling. Make a compost pile in your backyard with organic matter that you have leftover from your kitchen (egg shells, vegetable and fruit peels, etc.). You can then use the nutrient rich compost to fertilize the veggie garden you started so you don't have to drive to the grocery store (you see where I'm going with this?).

All of these things are SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE. It's really about making small changes and then working towards the larger ones. So think about it, give it a shot and help preserve this wonderful place we all call home.

Until next time, keep it clean!