Last week, we celebrated the 55th anniversary of the first Earth Day. But we can celebrate Earth Day every day! Here are some actions to incorporate into daily life that will help protect our precious planet and its resources. Which ones do you already do?
Reduce Waste
Reducing waste takes a little bit of planning. For example, cooking more food from fresh ingredients can reduce packaging waste, as can growing your own food in a garden. Eating out less can limit the number of carry-out containers you bring home. These can also save you money and create a healthier lifestyle.
What can you do to limit the number of single-use plastic items you use? Plastic shopping bags, disposable utensils, straws, drink cups, and fast-food packaging too often litter our land and waterways. Say “no, thank you” to items you don’t need. For example, if you are heading home to eat takeout food, you probably don’t need plastic utensils or paper napkins. If you buy one or two items but forgot your reusable bag, you probably don’t need a plastic shopping bag.
Paper has two sides. Are you using both? On your printer, select two-sided printing or use the back side of paper for printed drafts, handwritten notes, or lists. Do you think before you print and remember to choose only the pages you need? When you use less paper, you also use less ink, which can lead to significant savings.
Get creative and think of more ways to reduce waste in your everyday life!
Reuse
Many things in your home have more than one use. In fact, you already reuse many things — towels and sheets, dishes, pots and pans, and clothes. So reusing isn’t about creating a new habit, but rather about expanding an existing one. What else might you start to reuse? Shopping bags are an obvious choice, as is a lunch bag with washable containers. Taking advantage of the books, CDs, DVDs, and other resources at your local library and available online for download is another great way to reuse.
You can also get creative by making something new from something old, which is called upcycling. An old T-shirt can be turned into a new shopping bag. Or help kids with some reuse crafts. Empty cereal boxes can be covered to become magazine holders, and salt boxes can be turned into matching pen and pencil cups. Search online for “recycled crafts” and you’ll find all sorts of clever ideas.
If you have working, usable items you no longer need, sell them at a garage sale, to a secondhand or consignment store, or through an online marketplace, such as Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, or OfferUp. Don’t want to bother with selling items? Give them away through an online website like Freecycle or donate them to a charitable organization.
Recycle
In 2025, most of us already recycle paper, boxes, cans, bottles, and jars that we use daily. But many other items can be recycled — just not with your household paper and containers. For example, you can recycle computers, tablets, televisions, appliances, and cell phones, to name a few! For details about what and where you can recycle various items, contact your local solid waste authority.