8 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Happy Earth Day! Today is a super important day, and a reminder for us to continue fighting for our beautiful planet. Here are just a few ways we can show up for our planet not just today, but every day.
1. Reduce your consumption of animal products
Animal products like meat and dairy, especially red meat, are extremely harmful to the environment. For example, one hamburger alone uses six hundred thirty-five gallons of water to produce. Additionally, cows release methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas eighty-six times more destructive than carbon dioxide. Eating less animal products, and particularly steak, is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Try eating one plant-based meal a day, participating in meatless Mondays, or just making a simple swap that works for you!
2. Watch films about the environment and animal agriculture
There are so many movies and documentaries available if you want to learn more about the environment, the climate crisis, and the role animal agriculture plays in all of it. and on Netflix are two great ones that talk all about the meat, dairy, and seafood industries. Other documentaries that focus on the natural environment include Our Planet and BBC’s Planet Earth. The Lorax (based on one of my all-time favorite books by Dr. Seuss) and Wall-E are great for some light-hearted fun and suitable for younger audiences, but there’s a powerful message behind them as well.
3. Organize or attend community clean-up events
Due to COVID, many of public clean-up events may have been canceled, but there are still ways to get involved! If you don’t feel comfortable going out, you can always go to a park, beach, or other public space on your own and pick up some litter. If you’re in a location where outdoor group gatherings are allowed, join a team you know of or gather a group yourself! Whether you’re in a big group or on your own, every little step makes a difference.
4. Join local environmental movements and meet like-minded people
Last summer, I joined Youth Climate Save, a youth-led climate and environmental movement, and started my own chapter in Northern California. Joining the movement helped me connect with youth all around the world who care about the same issues as I do, and it was really encouraging to work with them. Having a circle or group of people around you is crucial in all aspects of life, and it definitely applies here as well. Get on social media and start connecting with other people or organizations that are working toward environmental justice!
5. Calculate your carbon footprint
There are things we can do to overall be more sustainable like driving less, recycling, or taking shorter showers. But on an individual level, it’s hard to find one thing that fits everyone. Each person lives a different lifestyle, and therefore their sustainable and unsustainable practices differ as well. That’s why it is critical to understand your own lifestyle and make changes that work for you individually. Calculating your carbon footprint can jump-start that; if you go online and search “carbon footprint calculator”, there are tons of resources to do so. This will give you a better idea of what areas in your life are sustainable and which ones aren’t, and it will help you make changes that will have a bigger impact.
6. Donate to environmental organizations and charities
Donating to charities also comes with some tax benefits, if you’re an adult with an income paying taxes (which I am not yet). Some well-known charities include Environmental Defense Fund, World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace (which has chapters in various countries), Natural Resources Defense Council, and . If you’re still a student like me and are not able to make monetary donations, many of these organizations or similar ones also have ways to get involved that don’t require money. Find out how you can help and support these organizations!
7. Spend time outdoors in nature
The best way to appreciate something is to spend time with it — so, naturally, the best way to appreciate the Earth is to spend time outside! Find ways to incorporate outdoor activity in your schedule; it can be as simple as taking a short walk outside every day, or as elaborate as going to a nature reserve every weekend. Spending time outside is good for our health too; we all desperately need outdoor activity especially during times of COVID.
8. Keep consistently showing up
Earth Day is just one day out of the entire year; April 22 is the day we as a society choose to acknowledge our planet. However, it doesn’t stop there. We should be celebrating our planet all day, every day. Continue showing up, and let’s keep working to build up a better future that will benefit all people, animals, and the planet.
