Despite rising controversy and an increased amount of negative opinions, April 22 remains one of my favorite days of the year. No, it’s not Christmas. No, I won’t be getting any birthday presents. But, you do know how much I love going green, staying green, and celebrating green, so what better day to do this than on Earth Day? Though the concept of Earth Day was initially celebrated in order to honor the Earth – meaning its people – in an attempt to celebrate peace, the day has blossomed to include that concept and so much more. This April’s celebrations hope to be exceptionally exciting, as the Paris Agreement, where a potential world-wide movement to reduce greenhouse gases, will be signed. To help celebrate, I’ve compiled a list of some fun ideas to get you out there on your quest to be green.
- Plan your garden – Since prime planting time is only a few weeks away, now is the time to get ready. Make a list, scope out some seeding options, check out some plants – get those gears turning!
- Plant an herb – Though it’s still a bit early to really get your garden growing, you can absolutely pot some basil, oregano, or rosemary to get you ready for the rest of growing season!
- Get outside – Whether for a walk, a hike, a bike ride, or just to play, it doesn’t matter. Head outside and enjoy the warming weather.
- Attend a farmer’s market – As these start opening more and more in the area, go check one (or lots!) out.
- Go dark – Part of the going-green movement involves using less resources. Part of using less resources is unplugging. Try to see how long you can go with no electronics and minimal wasted energy.
Whatever you do, enjoy the outdoors, respect your planet, and take care of each other – that is the spirit of Earth Day. I know we will definitely be preparing the beds and planning our growing season. You can also check out
http://www.nj.gov/dep/seeds/earthday/april.htm for some other fun ideas, and don’t forget to share how you celebrated!