Earth Day: History and Ideas for Saving the Earth Each Day

“The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.” — Ernest Hemingway

We just finished celebrating Earth Day on April 22. Earth Day was instituted as a way to bring awareness to the fact that there was little environmental regulation. Earth Day was created in spring of 1970, and it has been celebrated every year since. Later, in December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Senator Gaylord Nelson, from Wisconsin, was inspired to start Earth Day as the result of seeing a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. His co-chair in the effort was Pete McCloskey. As Earth Day was organized, colleges and universities held protests against the massive pollution and other problems afflicting the environment. The protests took place on April 22, 1970, and since there, Earth Day has been observed each year.

Many organizations and cities hold Earth Day events as part of the celebration. Some of the events involve planting trees, cleaning up public areas, and participating in other types of service. And, of course, even though Earth Day is over, it doesn’t mean that you can’t remember to save the earth every day.

Ways to Save the Earth Each Day

Earth Day was instituted as a way to raise awareness, and, thanks to Earth Day and other efforts to focus on the ways we can help the environment, many of us have made behaviors that are more earth friendly a part of every day life, whether it’s participating in the green economy, or whether you are simply trying to make less of an impact on the environment.

Here are some ways that you can reduce your negative impact on the earth each day:

• Recycle: For decades, we’ve heard about the importance of recycling. And it’s still important. Indeed, many cities and towns have curbside recycling programs. Even if your city doesn’t offer this service, it’s still possible for you to recycle many of the things you use.
• Landscaping: Plan a yard that doesn’t require a great deal of water. Xeriscaping is a great way to use less water in your yard. Additionally, you can choose native plants that are more likely to thrive in your climate.
• Buy used: You can reduce your impact on the environment when you buy used. When you buy used clothing, and buy other used products, you use fewer resources. Consider whether or not you can buy used or refurbished.
• Conserve power: Be smart about energy efficiency in your home. You can find ways to use energy so that you use less of it. Do an energy audit to find out where you can improve. There are a number of tips that can be followed to save energy.
• Drive smart: Using fewer fossil fuels can help improve the environment. One of the ways to do this is to drive smart. Employ tactics that allow you to use less gas, including defensive driving and combining trips.
• Reduce consumption: Buy less, and you could help the earth more. The less you buy, the less you are using resources and harming the earth.

What are some of your tips for saving the earth each day?