Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement on April 22, 1970. Founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed Earth Day as a nationwide grassroots environmental protest.
“What’s is the real wealth of a country? The real wealth is air, water, soil, forests, minerals, scenic beauty, oceans, wildlife habitat, biodiversity. Take that away and you’ve got a wasteland.”
–Gaylord Nelson (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 21, 2001.)
The Earth Day Network provides fact sheets with information on current environmental issues such as air pollution, urban parks, healthy and affordable homes and schools, and urban sprawl, and goes one step further by offering suggestions on what you can do.
However, climate change and global warming are among the most pressing environmental problems this year. What can you do to help?
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last longer (years) than regular bulbs, use a third of the energy of regular bulbs and produce more light. CFLs cost a little more in the checkout line, but as you don’t need to replace them as often, the savings add up quickly.
- Change your driving habits. Drive less (if you can), plan your errands in one trip, don’t speed, and get your car tuned up. When you look at buying your next car, get something fuel efficient – like a hybrid. Bring a lunch to work instead of driving in the noon traffic. Walk or ride your bike, when you can.
- Address energy efficiency in your home. Not everyone can afford to replace their heating and air conditioning systems with a brand new energy efficient model. However, programmable thermostats are not that expensive and simple to install. They regulate temperatures at different times of the day and can reduce your energy use by up to 30%. Even simpler, you can (and should) keep your vents and filters clean. And turn off lights and “sleeping” electronics when you’re not using them.
- Use your yard wisely. Plant trees to shade your house and minimize air conditioning costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent erosion. Choose drought-resistant plants for your yard, use mulch to keep the moisture in the soil, and don’t overwater the yard.
- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Don’t buy what you don’t need; avoid excessive packaging and disposable items like plates, cups, and cutlery; and recycle your newspapers, plastic, glass, and cans.
Image Credit:
“Plant Energy” by Auntie K at Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution.
