Time For Change - EARTH DAY

Earth Day, celebrated April 22, is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. This date is Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

The United Nations celebrates an Earth Day each year on the March equinox, which is often March 20, a tradition which was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969.

(Source: National Geographic)

What you can do for Earth Day

Reduce/reuse/recyclePractice the three R's: first reduce how much you use, then reuse what you can, and then recycle the rest. Then, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way.

1. Reduce:

• Buy permanent items instead of disposables.
• Buy and use only what you need.
• Buy products with less packaging.
• Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.

2. Reuse:

• Repair items as much as possible.
• Use durable coffee mugs.
• Use cloth napkins or towels.
• Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
• Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
• Reuse boxes.
• Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
• Participate in a paint collection and reuse program. For information on handling household solid waste.
• Donate extras to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.
• Reuse grocery bags as trash bags.

3. Recycle:

• Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn't collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.
• Recycle electronics

Save energy

• Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
• Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
• Have leaky air conditioning and refrigeration systems repaired.
• Insulate your home, water heater and pipes.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs
  

Planting some trees or flowers. The greener, the better!