Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day with conservation efforts. Here are some ideas for enjoying our home planet and keeping it beautiful. You can participate in these any day of the year!
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We live on a beautiful planet and can each do our part to help keep it that way.
Here are some of the ways that our family celebrates Earth Day, not just on April 22, but all year long! Use our ideas and leave us a comment with your own.
1. Plant a Tree
If you use notebook paper, toilet paper, or paper towel, you can help replace what you use on this planet by planting a tree. Not only will it one day shade your yard, but it will also provide a safe haven for wildlife!
2. Take a Walk
Take a moment to slow down today and admire the beauty of nature. Spend time with your family or friends in the great outdoors. Learn to recognize plants and animals and get some fresh air!
3. Install a Bird Feeder
Installing a bird feeder is a great way to attract more birds to your backyard. Hummingbirds are our favorite to watch, we have a special feeder for them on our porch.
4. Make a Nesting Ball for Birds
In the spring, birds are busy building nests for their young. You can make a nesting ball and fill it with materials that the birds can come find and use to insulate their homes. Click here for our article detailing how to make a nesting ball from wild grapevine. You can fill it with fiber or other natural materials.
5. Make a Wild Grapevine Wreath
You can decorate your home with a DIY wreath made from foraged wild grapevine. Here is our article with directions for weaving a wild grapevine wreath and tips for decorating it too!
6. Pick-up Trash
Bring a garbage bag with you on your next walk and pick up litter. It’s amazing how much trash there is on the side of the road and how big of a difference you can make spending a few minutes cleaning it up. Use a trash picker and gloves for safety!
7. Recycle
Instead of throwing things away, choose to recycle what you can. We recycle our plastic bags and pop cans at the grocery store and bring our used batteries to a drop location at our local conservation district office. Cardboard and most plastics can be recycled too!
8. Choose Reusable
Try to create less waste in your home by using washable dishes instead of paper plates and bringing your own bags when grocery shopping. Reuse and repurpose items when you can instead of throwing them away, every little bit helps!
9. Make a DIY Sharps Container
We have a farm and when we give our animals vaccinations, we dispose of them in a DIY sharps container. Here are the directions to make your own!
10. Donate Items
Instead of adding more trash to a landfill, take your unwanted items that are still in good shape to a donation center like Goodwill. Someone else can use the clothing and shoes that your children outgrow or that you don’t wear anymore.
11. Make a DIY Dog Toy
You can make a DIY rope toy that your dog will love from an old t-shirt. Here is the how-to article with step-by-step directions.
12. Make Dryer Balls from Scrap Yarn
Using dryer balls eliminates the need for buying disposable dyer sheets, you can wet-felt your own dryer balls with scrap natural fiber yarn. Here is the article with the details!
13. Plant a Pollinator Garden
Pollinators like bees and butterflies will love to visit a wildflower patch on your property. Plant some flowers on the sides of your yard and watch the insects as they busy themselves!
14. Carpool
When you can, carpool with others to limit air pollution from driving your vehicle. Plan your errands so that you can accomplish several tasks without making an extra trip to town!
15. Forage Wild Food
We love collecting mushrooms and berries on our walks. Use a plant identification book or smartphone app to make sure what you find is safe to eat!
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!