by Nancy Robbins
Earth Day on April 22nd will be the 55th anniversary of Earth Day! This day is about focusing on the environmental issues that plague the health of Mother Earth. It is a time to consider how we can become better stewards of the planet, and pay her more respect. Ultimately, what we do to the health of our planet, we do to ourselves. Now is the time to move into harmony with our Mother Earth as we ascend along with her. In order for either of us to ascend, we need to clean up our mess and live a healthier
lifestyle, so that we improve our health and living environment, physically and energetically.
Here are a few environmental actions we can take in consideration of Earth Day:
- Consider the importance of bees: To encourage the well-being of bees (and ourselves) plant native flowers and pollinator host plants such as: Bee balm, Blue Globe Allum, Oriental Poppy, Coneflower, Great Blue Lobelia, Catmint, Lavender, New England Aster, Chives, Sunflower, Stiff Goldenweed, Borage, Zinnia, and Joe Pye Weed. They like flowers in the blue and purple spectrum and those abundant in nectar and pollen.
- Put plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies in your garden, such as: Russian Sage, Bee Balm, Sunflowers, Daylilies, Sage, Pentas, Columbine, Salvias (expecially purple and blue varieties).
- Plant trees: Planting trees is important because:
- Trees absorb greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, helping combat climate change.
- They generate oxygen.
- Trees prevent soil erosion.
- They reduce air pollution.
- Trees improve soil quality.
- They provide food for wildlife.
- Trees protect crops from weather.
- They help regulate the water cycle.
- Trees contribute to a healthier environment, stronger communities, and economic prosperity.
- Trees are great to energetically connect to for centered calmness and they are a wealth of knowledge!
- Clean up environmental trash: One of the best ways to connect with the Earth is through cleanups. Go on a walk with a trash bag and help to clean up any plastic that you find. You’ll start to realize that plastic permeates every aspect of our lives. But as the world wakes up to its addiction, just how easy is it to ditch plastic while growing and storing more of our own food? Don’t forget to recycle what plastic you can.
- Go to a park today: Find a green space today, whether it is a hike in the woods, along a beach, public gardens, or in a public or national park. Savor the physical and psychological benefits of spending time outdoors! It is healing and energetically rejuvenating.
- Stop using chemicals in the garden: Look for pesticide free methods of dealing with weeds in the garden. You can also focus on soil health and nutrient-rich organic matter that supports it and help your plants to thrive. Here are some homemade chemical-free weed killer recipes that will save you money and not be harmful.
- Mix vinegar and dish soap and spray it onto unwanted plants to kill them almost instantly.
- Add salt to the vinegar recipe for a permanent organic weed killer solution.
- Use boiling water to kill weeds.
- Dilute rubbing alcohol with water to turn it into an herbicide and spray weed leaves with this mixture.
- Mix baking soda with white vinegar and spray it directly on weeds.
- Sprinkle baking soda directly onto weeds to make them easier to remove by hand.
- Conserve Water! We waste a lot of water. Knowing how much your garden or lawn really needs can help you avoid overwatering your plants and improve their health. Avoid watering your garden vegetables and plants from overhead, which invites fungal disease. Water at the soil level. Consider a drip irrigation system or hose with irrigation holes that puts the water right into the soil, where you want it. If you use sprinklers, put them on timers.
- Harvest your rainwater: Harvest your rainwater from a roof, gutters, and sky with a rain barrel. If you have a low-lying area, consider planting a rain garden, which captures runoff, filters out pollutants, and provides food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds, and other wildlife.
- Use a refillable water bottle. Consider going with a stainless-steel refillable bottle for a super durable option. Disposable plastic water bottles end up in landfills after a single use. Using a refillable water bottle protects the planet, saves you money, and protects your health (since plastic contains a harmful chemical called BPA).
- Turn off lights when you are not using them: Turn off lamps and overhead lights whenever you leave a room or your house. If you’re sitting in a room with the sun shining through a window next to you, consider whether you really need an electric light on. Electricity often comes from fossil fuels that contribute to climate change, so using as little electricity as possible is a great way to help the Earth.
- Switch to non-toxic cleaning products: The government’s Safer Choice program makes it easy for you to identify which cleaning productsare environmentally-friendly and low in toxicity. Just look for the Safer Choice logo, which will be on the cleaning product’s label. You can also make simple homemade cleaning products. For example, a solution made of equal parts water and white vinegar effectively cleans floors, bathrooms, cabinets, and counters. Also, look for manufacturers that have achieved Carbonfree® Product Certification. This certification means that the product’s carbon footprint has been measured and neutralized.
- Switch to paperless billing. If you’re still receiving paper bills in the mail, sign into your account or call the company and tell them you want to switch to paperless billing. These days, most (if not all) credit card and utility companies provide a paperless billing option for their customers who want to save trees and prevent waste. Also, if you are receiving paper catalogs you don’t want, contact them to discontinue.
- Carry reusable plastic or cloth bags. Use reusable grocery bags when you go to the supermarket or when you’re buying items at any store. If you don’t have any bags, purchase some reusable cloth totes and use those going forward. Did you know that most plastic bags are used for about 10-20 minutes, only to end up in a landfill for hundreds of years? Since humans use 4 trillion plastic bags a year, this is a big problem—especially since plastic bags can’t be recycled at facilities. Saving and reusing plastic bags is an easy solution you can do today.
- Build a compost bin in your garden. Instead of putting your banana peels, egg shells, carrot tops, and avocado skins in the trash (where they’ll end up in a landfill), start composting instead! Collect your food scraps (except for meat and dairy products) in a closed compost bin and add leaves, sticks, grass clippings, and other organic yard trash to the mix. Remember to turn the compost mixture every few days using a pitchfork. After several months of turning, the compost will break down into a rich, brown soil or juice for your garden.