Let’s be honest: a single day to celebrate our beloved planet — Earth Day — is simply not enough. Thankfully, April is Earth MONTH, an annual period dedicated to raising awareness and promoting action on global sustainability issues such as environmental conservation and climate change.
Every year, individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities worldwide come together to celebrate our Mother Earth. First and foremost, they advocate for mindful and sustainable solutions to protect and preserve our planet.
In this post we’ve rounded up a comprehensive list of simple steps you can take today (and every day!) to reduce your impact and make a difference on Earth Day and beyond. From minimizing waste to reducing consumption, here are 50 unique ways to improve your carbon footprint, contribute to a circular economy, and ultimately create a healthier, happier future for generations to come.
SUSTAINABILITY BASICS For Earth Day & Beyond
- Practice Mindfulness: Awareness is the first step towards living sustainably. Be conscious of your daily habits and choices, from what you buy to how you dispose of items. Remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal. Every small action makes a difference.
- Evaluate Your Needs vs. Wants: Next, reassess your relationship with material possessions and prioritize essentials over unnecessary items.
- Consider the Life Cycle: Furthermore, think about the entire lifespan of your belongings, from production to disposal, and choose products with minimal environmental impact.
- Reduce Consumption: Buy only what you truly need and opt for reusable or refillable options whenever possible to minimize resource use.
- Refuse Single-Use Plastics: Say no to disposable items like straws, cups, and cutlery, and choose reusable alternatives.
- Reuse & Repurpose: Give old items new life through upcycling or repurposing to minimize waste.
- Repair & Restore: Mend clothing, appliances and everyday goods (and tents!) instead of replacing them to extend their lifespan and reduce landfill waste.
- Recycle Properly: Finally, familiarize yourself with recycling guidelines and dispose of items responsibly to minimize contamination. Recycle hard-to-recycle items and upcycle materials into new products.
IN THE KITCHEN
9. Choose Organic and Local: Start by opting for organic produce and support local farmers to reduce pesticide use and transportation emissions.
10. Eat Whole, Clean Foods: Then embrace unprocessed, unpackaged foods to support a healthy lifestyle and environment.
11. Shop Package-Free: Buy groceries from bulk bins and farmer’s markets to minimize packaging waste.
12. Reduce Food Waste: Buy “ugly” produce to minimize commercial food waste, as well as repurpose your kitchen scraps for composting.
13. Go Plant-based: Overall, reduce meat consumption to save agricultural resources and decrease environmental impact. Choose plant-based alternatives for a more sustainable diet.
14. Grow Your Own Food: Start a garden to reduce food miles and enjoy fresh produce, supporting your health and local economy.
15. Cook from Scratch: Since you can reduce food waste and packaging by planning meals and cooking from scratch, gather those recipes and get started!
16. Use Reusables: Finally, replace disposable items with reusable alternatives like cloth napkins and dishcloths.
AT HOME
17. Embrace Eco-Friendly Cleaning: Start by trying to make your own cleaning products or choose eco-friendly options to minimize chemical pollution.
18. Conserve Water: Then take shorter showers, fix plumbing leaks, and use water-saving appliances to conserve water. You can also use a rain barrel for collecting water for landscaping and gardening.
19. Choose Plastic-Free Products: Also opt for plastic-free bathroom alternatives like bamboo toothbrushes and refillable soaps.
20. Launder Wisely: Use cold water, line dry clothes, and also minimize detergent use to reduce energy and water consumption.
21. Embrace Alternatives: Explore eco-friendly, personal care grooming options like shampoo-free or no-shave care routines. Create homemade body care products using natural ingredients to minimize waste and toxins.
22. Choose Renewable Energy: Invest in solar panels and other renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
23. Upgrade Home Efficiency: What’s more, you can improve insulation and repair leaks to reduce energy consumption and utility bills.
24. Opt for Refurbished Electronics: Choose refurbished electronics to reduce waste and resource use.
25. Unplug: Lastly, turn off electronics and lights. when not in use to save energy.
AT WORK
26. Go Paperless: Opt for digital alternatives to reduce paper consumption.
27. Bring the Outdoors In. Work in biophilic spaces with lots of indoor plants that remove pollutants in the air, and use natural light whenever possible, so that the energy consumption is decreased.
28. Drive Less: Minimize driving by biking, walking, carpooling, using public transportation, or working from home.
29. Choose Sustainable Travel: Opt for eco-friendly transportation and accommodations when traveling. Reduce air travel to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
SHOPPING & RETAIL
30. Support Local Businesses: Choose local products and services to reduce transportation emissions and support the local economy.
31. Choose Quality Over Quantity: Buy once, buy well. Investing in durable, high-quality products that last longer and reduce waste.
32. Shop Secondhand: Buy pre-owned, gently used items to overall reduce demand for new products and minimize waste.
33. Speak Up: Advocate for sustainability and continue to demand eco-friendly practices from big-box stores and corporations.
34. Research Your Purchases: Finally, learn about the origins and production processes of the products you buy and the brands you buy from to make informed choices.
FAMILY & COMMUNITY
35. Borrow or Barter: Share gear, resources, food and everyday household items with friends and neighbors to reduce unnecessary consumption and waste.
36. Volunteer: Participate in trail, roadway and river clean-up efforts as well as habitat restoration projects in your area.
37. Educate Others: Again, share your knowledge and inspire others to live more sustainably.
38. Support Social Justice: Equally important: embrace the principles of intersectional evironmentalism by stand up for underserved, underprivileged communities and social justice issues. We can only protect and heal the earth when we are ALL protected and healed, when we ALL have the tools to give our best.
39. Vote Green: What’s more, you can support candidates and policies that prioritize environmental protection.
40. Celebrate Mindfully: Finally, choose eco-friendly gifts and party practices to minimize waste and resources.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
41. Spend Time Outdoors: To begin with, enjoy the scenic beauty and mental health benefits of nature, take time to more about local flora and fauna and feel gratitude for everything that the earth gives us. Developing a deeper connection with nature can allow eco-conscious choices become more second-nature (no pun intended!). Don’t forget your planet-friendly homemade, natural bug sprays and sunscreens!
42. Plant Trees & Flowers: Contribute to reforestation efforts to improve air quality, provide wildlife habitat and food, provide shade and erosion mitigation, as well as planting native flowers to support your local pollinators.
43. Help Wildlife: Support habitat restoration and wildlife conservation efforts globally and locally, first by donating to conservation nonprofits, and also by simply hanging a birdfeeder or bat box in your yard!
44. Embrace Eco-friendly Camping: Further, consider borrowed or secondhand gear, opt for homemade, package-free meals and snacks, bring reusable dishware and waterbottles, and most importantly be sure to practice fire safety.
45. Support Sustainable Glamping Destinations. Choose off-grid facilities in close proximity to your desired vacation activities to minimize driving, and also opt for ones that provide solar power or show their commitment through other sustainable practices and eco-friendly amenities.
46. Practice LNT. The Leave No Trace principles can help minimize your impact in the outdoors, whether you’re in the backcountry wilderness, your local park or your own backyard. The basics: plan ahead, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, and respect wildlife.
47. Embrace the Chaos. Let your lawn grow au-natural without mowing, sprinklers, irrigation systems, or harmful insecticides or pesticides.
48. Recreate Responsibly. Whether camping, hiking, biking or boating for Earth Day, make sure to follow the rules and regulations set by public land management and state agencies. Examples include staying on the trail to reduce erosion and habitat destruction, only having fires in designated fire pits and following fishing and hunting regulations to protect wildlife populations.
49. Collect Data. In addition, you can participate in citizen science projects (bird counts, water quality monitoring and wildlife tracking) to collect data to be used for scientific research.
50. Educate Yourself: Overall, learn about the benefits of eco-friendly and toxin-free outdoor gear and strive to buy products without PFAS and other harmful forever chemicals that are commonly found in waterproof coatings.
OUR MISSION, OUR VALUES
As the “Most Sustainable Tentmakers on the Planet” we are in constant pursuit of integrity, longevity and circularity as we work towards our Triple Bottom Line. By embracing low-impact living and incorporating these Earth Day practices into your daily life, we can live in greater harmony with nature, and overall make a positive impact on the planet and create a more sustainable future for all.
Have other ideas on ways to live greener and cleaner? Let us know!
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