The first Earth Day was held in 1970, and ever since then, on April 22 we have dedicated the day to educating, honoring and preserving our Earth. Founded as a tool to demonstrate support for environmental protection, and with the special day right around the corner, here are 10 activities and ideas you can do to celebrate Earth Day this year!
1. Plant a seed
Flowers, trees, vegetables/fruits are all inexpensive seeds that you can plant at home. Planting seeds helps form ecosystems and creates biodiversity in our environment. Listed below are local resources where you can purchase seeds!
Ropp’s Flower Factory & Greenhouses
2. Educate yourself on sustainability
Being environmentally friendly is hot! Learning about how to reduce your environmental footprint is important. Do your part to help our planet! Listed below are some websites that give good tips on how to be more sustainable.
50 simple ways to make your life greener | Environment | The Guardian
Eight simple things you can do for the environment – Stanford Report
12 Ways to Live More Sustainably (biologicaldiversity.org)
3. Buy a reusable coffee mug
You can take your mug or cup to your favorite coffee shop and ask them to fill it. Some cafes even give customers discounts for bringing in their reusable containers. At the end of the day, any drink tastes better in a mug.
4. Pick up litter in your community
Spending just twenty minutes a day picking up litter can help change an area in your community immensely. Litter is a threat to wildlife, and by removing litter, we can improve the health of not only other organisms but also the environment that supports them.
5. Enjoy mother nature
Get outside and enjoy Mother Nature’s gift! Pack a lunch and go on a picnic in your favorite park. Take a walk through nature and breathe in the fresh air. Here are some great local spots to immerse yourself in. Some great spots in the area include:
- Meadow Brook (2808 S Race St, Urbana, IL 61802) The playground is currently under construction, but that shouldn’t diminish nature’s beauty!
- Busey Woods – (1505 N Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL 61801)
- Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve – (109 S Lake of the Woods Rd, Mahomet, IL 61853)
- Homer Lake Forest Preserve – (2573 S Homer Lake Rd, Homer, IL 61849)
6. Go to a farmers’ market
Farmers’ markets are better for the environment because they minimize waste and pollution. Not to mention that shopping locally is also a good way to help support your community. Here is a list of some farmers markets in the area:
- Farmers Market on Historic North 1st Street
- The Land Connection Champaign Farmers Market
- Urbana’s Market at the Square
7. Thrift stores
Explore buying secondhand items. This can allow you to save money on clothes, shoes, decorations, or furniture for your home. Thrift stores are also great for finding clothing pieces that no one else has! Making donations to thrift stores is another way that we can help reduce waste.
8. Attend Sustainapalooza
Sustainapalooza is a local event held on the main quad at UIUC. Learn how student organizations at the university are benefiting the environment and get involved with the community. The event is set to be held on Earth Day April 22, from 4-8pm.
9. Reusable water bottle
This is effective because you will always have a cold drink on hand. A reusable water bottle prevents you from spending money on single-use plastic and allows you to control what you are consuming.
10. Reuse containers and jars
Did you just consume a whole jar of pickles? Give it a good wash and use it as a jar to hold fresh fruit that you bought from the farmer’s market!
As we leave winter behind and start to enjoy the warmer weather, it is important to be conscious of our impact on the Earth. Earth Day is a great opportunity to reflect on your personal habits and celebrate our planet. Remember to demonstrate your support for environmental protection this Earth Day!
