The creators
of the world-wide, annual Earth Day event say the purpose is to
promote environmental awareness and sustainable living by engaging
grassroots organizations worldwide in citizen action and organizing,
capacity building, environmental education, coordinated global campaigns,
and annual Earth Day celebrations.
Since there
are many varied ways people and businesses can participate on both a short
and long-term basis, I fully support this initiative and hope that you
will look for ways to contribute.
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Here are
ways you can be a part of Earth Day:
Complete
a Home Energy Check:
Do a home energy audit to see how you might make energy and
money-saving changes in your household. The Alliance to Save Energy
(www.ase.org/checkup/home/)
and the U.S. Department of Energy (www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov)
are both are excellent resources to get you started.
Check
Refrigerator and Water Heater Settings:
Check the settings on your refrigerator and your water heater.
Earth Day organizers say the fridge
should be between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer
should be between 0 and 5 degrees. And, the water heater should be
on low or about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. |
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Graphic: U.S. EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of
Energy award the Energy Star label (www.energystar.gov)
to products that are efficiently using energy. |
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Recycle:
How dedicated is your family to recycling? Place a recycling basket in
the kitchen or within easy household reach to encourage recyclable
collection at home.
Replace
Showerhead:
Replace your showerhead with a low-flow showerhead to save money and
water.
Encourage At
Work:
Does your place of work have energy-saving and eco-friendly practices in
place? If not, the Earth Day website (above) has many ideas on how to
encourage environmentally friendly yet also cost-saving activities. You
might also work to organize an annual Earth Day event.
Motivate At
School:
Be a proactive parent and ask your childs school what campaigns or
curriculum add-ins are being incorporated that link to Earth Day topics.
For young children, the organization Clean Wisconsin (www.environmentaldecade.org)
suggests you can read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss at your childs
elementary class or at home.
Look For
Events:
Look for educational events and volunteer clean-up activities at local
universities, museums, nature centers, zoos, national and state parks,
botanical gardens, and city parks.
For example,
Chicago's Peggy
Notebaert Nature Museum believes everyday is Earth Day and hosts regular
science workshops for children and adults, as well as field trips and
other outreach programs.
Invest in
Green Companies:
Consider investing in companies that are environmentally effective and
energy conserving. Winslow Management in Boston has ideas at
www.winslowgreen.com.
Volunteer:
If you want to volunteer to keep your planet beautiful on a regular basis,
check out the Keep America Beautiful website,
www.kab.org, for ideas and additional year-long events.
Visit Nature:
Because so much of us live in the city or a non-rural area, sometimes we
forget about nature. To inspire a reminding, deeper appreciation of our
planet, make regular trips to visit a state or national park, go
stargazing, hike in nearby trails, or take a boat ride.