Earth Day Every Day

BY APRIL PASCARELLI

Earth Day may have been almost two months ago, but celebrating our planet should be designated to more than just one day a year. Imagine treating your body well only on your birthday but neglecting it the remaining 364 days a year. We only have one place to live, and we should always treat it with respect and dignity. Ultimately we are nothing without our health, so this holds for our planet and body. But if you want the earth to be celebrated in the best possible ways, more than just that one day in April, read on to see how you can take action yourself.

Use food you have on hand

You will save time and money by using the food in your fridge and pantry and helping the environment. Get this: on average, about one-third of the food we produce in the world goes uneaten! Food waste can generate up to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Another interesting (and terrifying) fact is that if food waste were its own nation, it would rank third in greenhouse emissions, behind only China and the United States. Take a peek around your kitchen and seek out anything that is about to spoil. Roast veggies or sauté that spinach you can’t seem to get to before it goes bad. Cook up grains on hand, throw in those roasted roots, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make some homemade hand pies using overly ripe fruit, or cut them into chunks and store them in the freezer so it’s readily available for your next at-home superfood smoothie. We are humans, and we are known for wasting things, especially food. But maybe we can change that dynamic! And when we still have extra food waste because we will; it’s time to compost!

Eat more plants!

Adding more plant foods sounds simple but is difficult for many to adhere to. Currently, the meat-centric Western (but increasingly global) diet makes up about 20 percent of global greenhouse emissions, and that’s being conservative. Some sources would say closer to 60 percent. But regardless of the percentage, you can see that harvesting just one pound of beef would impact the environment much more than a pound of lentils. If packing up on plants is new, think of filling half your plate with vegetables. While at it, consider two things: food in season and growing your own. Food grown and flown (or hauled via truck, often in energy-intensive refrigerated holds) is typically picked unripe and then gassed with ethylene, a plant hormone, to induce the ripening process. Choosing seasonal foods comes with respect and much more appreciation for those same foods, as they taste much better when grown locally. Want to give your tastebuds a real treat? Grow your own fruits and veggies! Even if you start with a small herb garden, you will save yourself a few dollars, reduce packaging, help save food miles, and enjoy tending, nurturing, and eating what you reap.

Use less plastic

On the rise over the years has been the importance of using less plastic. But the short story is that plastic is made primarily of fossil fuels, contributing to climate change. Sometimes using plastic can be tough to avoid, but here are some ways to start making swaps. Use glass tupperware instead of plastic for storing your food. Putting warm leftovers in plastic and then moving them to the fridge before heating them back up again (plastic in the microwave - double whammy - a whole other issue) is a recipe for bacteria and toxins galore. Do your health a favor, store in glass, and reheat in the oven or via your stovetop. Trust me on this one. Speaking of less plastic, take your reusable bags with you to the grocery store. If you live in a town where they still hand out plastic bags like they are going out of style (which, ahem, they are), be sure to bring your cloth or canvas totes and freezer bags and pack your products while you save the planet. And lastly - this can be tough, pending the situation - but try to forego the plastic water bottles any chance you can. Carry a reusable water bottle or thermos, and opt for filtered water when available.

Reuse

Borrow instead of buying new. Over the years, minimalism has become a trend. But, we live in a society that wants to buy and toss, buy and toss. Guilty here myself, but I have gotten much better at donating and giving serious thought before making any new purchases. Consider donation services like Big Brother Big Sister or Vietnam Veterans of America that make pickup easy for clothes or household items you are ready to part with. Otherwise, if you don’t belong to a Buy Nothing group, now is the time to join. It is the community you need when you are ready to unload your own “stuff” and request things you want and need. You save on the overload in landfills and put more pennies in your pockets.

Moral of the story

Making small changes can lead to significant impact. In addition, we need to speak up. Get involved and tell elected representatives to act on climate change by writing an email or physical letter. Use facts and manners, and be diplomatic. Don’t worry about being a policy expert - focus on using your voice. More food for thought: being kind to each and every one is a great place to start. Tough to be kind to the planet if we are not kind to one another. Kindness costs nothing and can reward us with excellent health and well-being. Of course, kindness alone will not get the job done so we must work together daily and share ideas for more ways to save the planet. It may not seem like much but these are just a few ways to get into action day after day and start truly loving on our Mother Earth!