Earth Day :: 39 years in the making

Advocated, promoted, and conceptualized by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day was becoming a huge grass roots sensation across the US after the Senator’s seven year effort and first meeting with President Kennedy. Less than a year later on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated. Now 39 years later, after internet has become a necessity in our existence and you can google (a new “verb” that we know didn’t exist back in ‘69) to no end about Earth Day, new recycling techniques are part of our daily lives, and now, “green” has actually hit its colloquialism stride, Earth Day is a celebrated and anticipated holiday every year across the nation.

With all the talk of celebrating Earth Day, it can seem a bit daunting about how to “celebrate” or take part in the big day. So here are 5 activities (in no particular order) to feel like you're taking part or at least recognizing what your Earth means to you:

1) If the weather isn’t very inviting for an outdoor activity, take some time (in your loft or own respective abode) and indulge in the BBC series, Planet Earth. David Attenborough offers great British narration, and after just a couple episodes in the eleven episode series, you’ll be rethinking some aspect of waste and pollution you produce in the world. (Hint: Watch it without the lights on, since you’re already using electricity to actually view the series). It took four years to produce and is the most expensive BBC series to date that has ever been made. And if you’re an animal freak, nature geek, or just want to kick it back on Earth Day, then rent or even buy (it’s worth the investment for sure) the DVD set. It won’t disappoint.

2) It’s the quickest thing you can do: Make the No Coal Call. All you need is this number: 202.224.3121. This will get you in contact with your member in Congress and to demand from them a moratorium on coal-fired power plants.

3) Calculate your ecological footprint, and then more importantly, figure out the changes you can make to decrease this number.  Go here to start calculating: Find Out Your Footprint NOW

4) If you’re more into giving away the real “green” then you can find more than plenty charitable causes that will take your green bucks off your hands.  Adopt An Acre, Rescue the Reef, or apply for a Nature Conservancy Visa credit card so when you make your first purchase, 10 trees will be planted in the Atlantic Forest and an additional tree will be planted each month afterward.

5) Something so small, can be huge in the end. Such as changing out your lightbulbs, switching to totes (there’s still too much plastic being wasted these days), and honestly not turning on your AC as strong or so soon, even if we’re slowly making our way from Spring to Summer. Think ’bout it.