Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day in Lockdown
April 22 marks the yearly celebration of Mama Earth. While Earth Day has led to remarkable environmental awareness, this year’s celebration looks far different than the other 50 Earth Days before it.
Considering COVID-19 is still spreading across the globe and countries are still on lockdown, Earth Day parades and gatherings this year are completely out of the question. BUT, that doesn’t mean you can’t do something special for the Earth on your own!
Even while in lockdown, here’s five ways to celebrate Earth Day.
Thank Mama Earth
This one sounds super simple, but when was the last time you felt the Earth and just said, “thank you?” She provides us space for the four elements to work in harmony and sustain life. She nourishes us, protects us and provides us a home. She is literally the reason why you get to breathe clean air and drink fresh water.
If anything, take off your shoes, place your bare feet in the soil, get your hands dirty and thank the Earth for her resilience and capacity to support life. If that’s too “hippie” for you, then go on a hike, enjoy a bike ride or read a book while soaking up the sun. Same, same, but different, ya know?
Pick up some litter
Picking up trash is an amazing way to celebrate Earth Day and do something impactful for our planet. Plus, this is a great karma yoga exercise, providing the opportunity to do a selfless act of kindness!
Even after Earth Day, you can be a model citizen and environmental warrior by picking up trash whenever you see it. You can also join the Take 3 For The Sea initiative, which promotes impactful individual action by picking up three pieces of trash everyday. Don’t ever think that your environmental efforts are too small to make a difference!
Adopt a plant
Plant parenthood is on the rise, and for good reason. Tending to your little baby plants not only provides clean air, but also relieves stress and boosts mood.
Plus, science shows that people who interact with nature are more likely to adopt an environmentally conscious lifestyle. So, buying an ‘Earth Day’ plant is the perfect way to keep the celebration going far after April 22.
Trade in one unsustainable practice today
Right now, take inventory of your sustainability practices.
Are you still using single-use coffee cups or shopping bags? Have you been thinking about getting package-free cosmetics, or finally buying a bamboo toothbrush? Or, have you been eyeing a sustainable pair of jeans that are (most likely) pricier than your old fast-fashion alternative?Well, what better way to enhance your sustainability practices than on Earth Day? You don’t have to go crazy; you don’t need to exchange every eco-unfriendly practice or product in your life for a sustainable alternative today.
But, you can get a head start and adopt one sustainability practice today. Chances are, this small, yet impactful gesture will create momentum and spill over into other parts of your life.
Eat a meat-free meal
Science has proven time and time again that a meat-based diet is inherently unsustainable. There’s so much to unpack here, but basically meat-dominant diets allow deforestation to make room for raising cattle, even more deforestation to grow food to feed said cattle, the exhaustion of water resources, and a ridiculous amount of air pollution from cow farts. Yep, cow farts.
Since plant-based diets have been proven to be the most sustainable, it would be fitting to celebrate Earth Day by saying no to meat. Who knows, you may even like it and start cutting out meat more frequently (fingers crossed)!
Closing thoughts...
Earth Day is all about doing your part, so do whatever that means you. You can donate to your favorite eco organization, encourage your friends and family to pick up trash with you, tend to your garden, plant a tree, or fix a leaky faucet. There’s about a million ways to celebrate and care for Mother Earth, so pick one and run with it.
And, most importantly, don’t forget that everyday is Earth Day. Do something good for the environment today, and the next day, and the next day and the next day.