The Red, White, and Green

I used to complain to my mom that there wasn’t a Kid’s Day on the calendar along with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. “Every day is Kid’s Day,” she would proclaim. Well, I second that sentiment with regard to Earth Day. But since the actual day is today, mark the occasion by making a promise to celebrate the Earth every day by adopting just one of these five simple changes into your daily routine. 

1. Wean yourself off the plastic bottle. Over 67 billion beverage cans and bottles have been landfilled, littered, and incinerated in the US alone so far this year. Those are containers that haven’t been recycled. Get a Brita pitcher or faucet filter for home, and buy a Sigg bottle for on the go. And if you’re a pop drinker, consider a home soda maker.

2. BYOB. Bag, that is. Start a collection of reusable canvas totes, and bring them with you to the grocery store. Or any store, for that matter. I have a cute purple mesh EcoSac that I keep in my purse for other shopping excursions; I’ve even taken it into Barney’s. 

3. Adopt Meatless Monday. Robert Lawrence from The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health proposes Meatless Monday as a way to help reduce climate change, minimize worldwide water usage, and help reduce fossil fuel dependence. All that from a few measly meals, you say? Imagine if the whole country adopted this plan. And you don’t have to start eating tofu and tempeh, either. Many of your favorite healthy and budget friendly foods — like veggie chili, eggplant parmigiana, and falafel — are already vegetarian. Does a whole day seem too challenging? Start with one meal a week.

4. Go to bed an hour earlier. Does your bedtime keep inching toward the midnight hour (or past it)? I know, it’s hard to turn the lights out when there are so many episodes of Top Chef just waiting for you on the DVR. But by staying up late and keeping those lights on, not to mention the TV and computer, you’re burning up energy unnecessarily. And if you need another reason, consider that the evidence is mounting that an earlier bedtime and adequate sleep are essential to your mood, waistline, and overall health.

5. Talk about it. The only way change will occur at the global level is if more and more people become conscious of how nearly every decision we make has its corresponding impact on the world we live in. Now I’m not saying you should regularly lecture your friends about the evils of meat-eating and not recycling, but your actions do influence others. The best way to convince is to lead by example. Take your mom with you to the farmer’s market, go shopping with your friends and proudly sport your reusable tote, ask your employer how your office can start recycling copy paper.

It’s amazing how quickly little changes can add up. Stick to one and you’ll soon feel empowered to take on more. Happy Earth Day!

–Jennifer Grayson

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