April 22nd is Earth Day! Do something fun that’s also good for the planet. Here are some ideas.
Earth Day 2015‘s slogan is ‘It’s our turn to lead.’ The event is focused on taking a stand to move the world in a new direction. Although it feels like you can’t do much to make a large impact, small changes can take you and the planet on a more positive path.
Bring Your Bike
Get the kids together and ride to the local store on your bicycles. This will decrease carbon emissions from the car. Did you know not driving for just two days in the week reduces the amount of greenhouse gases you emit by two tons? Taking the bike is also a fun way to explore the neighbourhood, get a little exercise and catch up on chatter.
Tune into Romance
You and your partner might not always feel in sync with each other, especially if you always have so many other things to do. But make April 22nd the day when you reconnect with some romance. Switch off the lights to save power and light a few soy candles instead; cook a homemade dinner together that gives meat a skip; have a shower together (instead of a long bath that uses lots of water); or pretend it’s your first date and really connect with each other – no devices allowed!
Make Fun Foods with ‘Edible Containers’
Get creative with snacks that store other foods in them so you don’t have plastic containers to worry about. An idea is to serve your delicious morning oats in apples that have had their insides scooped out with an apple corer. You can also fill other foods. Some great ideas include stuffing artichokes with leeks or bell peppers with quinoa.
Get Rooted
Earth Day is also about being more aware of, and appreciating, your environment. Why not mark it by starting a veggie patch or small herb garden? You don’t need a lot of space for these DIY efforts and it’s really fun to see how your plants will flourish as time goes by. Plus, you can add what you grow to your dinner table.
Earth Day at the Office
Since April 22nd falls on a weekday, take earth-friendly steps at the office. You can do this by:
- Organising a carpool for your colleagues who live in close proximity to each other.
- Speaking to your colleagues about agreeing to bike to work for that day.
- Pooling money together to buy a watercooler instead of everyone using water bottles.
- Getting everyone a scrap paper box on their desks to encourage them to use scrap pieces of paper for notes and memos.
- Asking everyone to bring in their own coffee mugs, which is not only a fun way to display their personalities but prevents the use of disposables.
Such ideas can promote teamwork while doing something great for the planet.
Have some creative green fun this Earth Day and make it a step towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
