Complied by Rollie Atkinson
(The very first Earth Day was a series of loosely-connected
college campus rallies, “teach-ins” and a national event on the
steps of the U.S. Capitol, featuring political speeches, folk
singers and the very first self-proclaimed
“environmentalists.”
Before that day, there was no federal Environmental
Protection Agency, very few anti-pollution laws and nothing called
an Environmental Impact Report. Recycling was considered a very
radical thing to do.)
It doesn’t have to be Earth Day to take action on saving the
natural resources and beauty of our planet. Many of the best
actions are small, everyday activities about how we use water,
energy and what we do with our manufactured goods and
leftovers.
Here’s 40 tips to mark the 40th anniversary of the first Earth
Day, held April 22, 1970:
1) Carry a reuseable bag when shopping. Don’t ask “paper or
plastic,” go without both.
2) Go as paperless as possible at work and the office. Don’t
print e-mails if you don’t have to and use both sides of the
paper.
3) Reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water. In fact,
reuse everything at least once, especially plastics.
4) Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. Turn
off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use (especially
overnight).
5) Recycle your newspapers. (You do read newspapers, right?)
6) Get off junk mail lists.
7) Carpool to work or school. Better yet ride a bike.
8) Lower your thermostat at home. Buy compact fluorescent bulbs
and energy-saving appliances.
9) Use organic and natural cleaning products like vinegar, borax
and baking soda. Use “green” cleaning products.
10) What’s wrong with hanging your laundry on an outside clothes
line? Ask your grandmother.
11) Check out your bathroom. Use low-flow faucets, showerheads,
and toilets. Be mindful of water use when shaving or brushing your
teeth.
12) Where does your household water source originate? From a
well, small community service or larger municipal utility? What
else do you know about it?
13) When you flush your toilet, what happens next? Have you met
your downstream neighbors? What watershed do you live in?
14) Volunteer one day a year on a watershed project. Pick up
trash, plant a tree or donate food to other volunteers.
15) Shop local and buy local products, food and services.
16) Try to eat in season.
17) Start a recycling bin for plastics, paper and “other.”
18) Reuse containers whenever possible. Share recyclables with
your neighbors.
19) Donate old clothes and household items to the local thrift
store, senior center or Salvation Army. Better yet, have a
“green” yard sale.
20) Support “fair trade” companies with sustainability
practices. Educate yourself on who these local businesses are. We
have many.
21) Don’t laugh— check the air pressure of your automobile
tires. Plan your car trips and keep your vehicle tuned for maximum
performance and fuel conservation.
22) Will your next car be a hybrid, electric or a big SUV?
23) Plant an edible garden. Teach your children how to grow what
you eat.
24) Landscape with native plants and other plants that require
low or no irrigation. Ask a local expert for help and advice.
25) Always recycle old batteries, electronics and hazardous
waste in a lawful and correct manner. Call Sonoma County’s ECO-Desk
at 565-3375 for more information.
26) Never flush medicines down the drain or toilet!
27) Not ready to go solar just yet? You can save lots of money
and energy with household insulation, new windows and doors.
PG&E and local governments sometimes offer free energy
audits.
28) Stop using pesticides. There are many effective, natural
alternatives available. Allow nature to take over the growing of
your lawn, creating food for bees, birds and animals.
29) This one is easy: take a walk along the Russian River,
Laguna de Santa Rosa or your neighborhood creek. Get more familiar
with your own little piece of Earth.
30) Been to the ocean lately? That’s where everything we put
into our Russian River watershed eventually ends up. Keep it
clean.
31) Learn how to build and use a backyard compost bin to convert
kitchen scraps into rich garden soil.
32) Build a birdhouse or mount one in your backyard. Protect a
natural bird habitat of trees, shrubs and plant variety.
33) Use only rechargeable batteries. Cameras, toys, flashlights
and small portable appliances can all be powered by rechargeable
batteries.
34) Unplug your cell phone charger when not in use.
35) Don’t use styrofoam. Recycle those packaging peanuts at
local shipping stores.
36) Organize a clean-up day in your neighborhood, road or
waterway. Tell the newspaper about it.
37) VOTE green! Consider the impacts to your local environment,
carbon footprint and good environmental policy when you vote for
elected officials or local laws.
38) Be a good steward, role model and earth citizen.
39) Think globally, act locally. (Do you really know what this
means?)
40) Go ahead and celebrate Earth Day!
— Complied by Rollie Atkinson
