Earth Day ~ 50+ Ideas to Green our Lives & Communities
50+ Earth Day Ideas
Earth Day is celebrated world-wide on April 22nd. We all want a healthy environment to live in and to leave our descendants. But sometimes we are so bombarded with environmental issues and their consequences that solutions seem overwhelming and we feel powerless to affect change in the world. So I sat down and brainstormed the actions I take now or want to implement to make my yard, my neighborhood, my city and my state a better, healthier place to live. This is by no means a comprehensive list. There are thousands of ideas out there. This is just one person’s little list of fifty things we can all do to save resources, recycle, reuse and green our community. Just think if everyone made up a list of fifty actions and employed them! What a wonderful world it would be! I’ll bet that, as you read through my list, you will find you have already put many of these items into practice. I’d love to know what other ideas you have or are doing, too. Just leave me a note in the comments section at the end of this post so we can all read them!
50 Things You Can Do!
1. Save & swap garden seeds
2. Make an insect hotel
3. Garden with pollinators in mind!
4. Reduce lawn areas
5. Find a nursery that recycles pots
6. Mulch with shredded leaves, grass clippings and pine needles
7. Plant for your zone and water less
8. Plant & maintain trees
9. Raise some of your own food
10. Plant a rain garden
11. Install a rain barrel (or two)
12. Start your own plants from seeds & cuttings
13. Buy heirloom seeds & plants
14. Improve indoor air quality with houseplants
15. Join a local community garden group
15. Compost your food & yard waste
16. Create habitats in your yard
17. Use organic sprays & fertilizers
18. Smother weeds with cardboard & newspaper
19. Support clean air & water legislation
20. Buy & share lawn equipment with neighbors & friends
21. Go paperless
22. Cut back the heating temperature, wear a sweater
23. Open a window and raise the AC temperature
24. Turn off lights & electronics not in use
25. Hang the laundry out to dry
26. Use the cold water cycle when washing clothes
27. Turn your water heater down (especially in summer)
28. Use low or no VOC paints
29. Plan shopping trips, go less & go together
30. Take your own shopping bags & containers
31. Buy local from farmers or farmers markets
32. Buy second hand at garage sales & thrift stores
33. Recycle everything you can
34. Buy less that can’t be recycled
35. If it is usable, donate. Don’t dump!
36. Eat less meat, make it the side dish
37. Drink unbottled water
38. Buy in quantity and repackage with reusable containers
39. Make your own food – buy less processed food
40. Don’t waste food, share it !
41. Trade in your gas hog SUV
42. Open the car windows & turn off the AC
43. Walk more & ride less
44. Ride a bike
45. Don’t smoke
46. Use natural cleaners
47. Don’t flush unused meds down the drain or toilet
48. Use essential oils instead of air fresheners
49. Pick up trash on your walk
50. Repurpose items – use what you have
Here are some eco-friendly posts from Our Fairfield Home & Garden! Click on the image to see more information!
Turn cast-off curtain rods into hose guides!
Repurpose shutters into raised planting beds for free!
Use pine needles, shredded leaves and grass clippings for mulch!
Make you own dormant oil spray to kill plant pests for pennies!
Anyone can compost! Vermicomposting is perfect for in-home or apartment use as it takes very litle space!
Birdbath from recycled materials
Save and swap seeds from your garden!
Earth Day Projects With The Garden Charmers
- Kill Them With Kindness / Celebrating Earth Day | Lynne – Sensible Gardening & Living
- Celebrating Earth Day Every Day | Heather – New House New Home New Life
- Earth Day Inspiration | Jacki – Drought Smart Plants
- Earth Day Projects For Kids | Melissa – Empress of Dirt
- Earth Day | Judy – Magic Touch & Her Gardens
- Natural Garden Remedies for Earth Day | Shelley – Sow & Dipity
- DIY Eggshell Planters | Amy – A Healthy Life For Me
- Attracting Beneficial Insects to the Garden | Stephanie – Garden Therapy
- 12 Easy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day | Carol – The Gardening Cook
- Earth Day ~ 50 ideas to Green Our Lives & Communities | Barb – Our Fairfield Home & Garden
- Planting a Honey Bee Friendly Garden | Tanya – Lovely Greens
What do you do to green your home, your yard and your community? I’d love to hear your ideas too! Thanks! Barb
Excellent tips. We do so much of this already. We purchased old water tanks from my farming family and collect a lot of rainwater every year. One of the best investments we ever made!
I love your resourceful tip, too, Feral Turtle! Just think if everyone did 50 things to recycle or conserve!