Earth is our only home and we are its only inhabitants with a conscious mind. It’s important for us to be environmentally-friendly beings.
Earth Day was created by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 to bring attention to environmental protection.
In less than a year, the awareness from Earth Day brought about the Environment Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
The holiday is still celebrated today to promote sustainability, awareness of environmental issues and climate action.
Here are some ways you can participate in celebrating our home:
1. Join the Great Global Cleanup
Through earthday.org you can find trash cleanups to join or you can start one in your community to help eliminate plastic pollution.
2. Attend Chico State’s Annual Festival
This is an opportunity to participate in activities, listen to live music and learn about sustainability advocates in the community. It will take place on April 22 from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. in Trinity Commons.
3. Butte College Earth Day Celebration
It will take place on the main campus in the Center Lawn on April 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, this event will have information tables, live music, food and games.
4. Clean up trash in your community
Get a group of friends and go to Upper or Lower Bidwell Park with trash bags to help beautify and clean up the nature around you.
5. Get outdoors
Spending time in nature and the sunlight can help lift your mood and has numerous health benefits. Chico has plenty of recognized parks that are truly beautiful and can help bring awareness to why we collectively need to take care of our planet.
6. Visit a compost garden or start one at home
Compost is nature’s way of recycling what would be landfill waste back into the environment. Chico State’s compost garden is currently accepting coffee/tea bags, eggshells, cereals/grains, fruits and vegetables.
7. Reduce water usage
Our country has the top water usage per capita in the world. You can reduce your water consumption and waste at home in numerous ways as simple as shorter shower times and making sure your toilet is properly working.
8. Reduce your carbon footprint
Awareness of your carbon footprint is a major key in climate activism. Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon, methane and other greenhouse gasses you are personally contributing everyday. There are multiple ways to reduce your footprint from the way you drink water to your transportation methods.
Research and become familiar with climate action plans in your community. These plans are a framework for realistic ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Chico State also has a climate action plan.
10. Plant native plants
Planting native species has tremendous benefits for the environment, such as soil quality improvement and actually removing carbon from our atmosphere and storing it in the ground! Native plants are huge for lowering a carbon footprint, but it is also cute and fun.
Participating in just one of these activities is the least we can do to protect our home. Grab a friend or two, a loved one or a furry friend and I promise, you will enjoy celebrating Earth Day.
Alina Babajko can be reached at [email protected].
