10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
by: Robert Budlow
Even though some geophysicists suggest that the Earth is approximately
4.7 billion years old, when do you think the first Earth Day was
celebrated as a holiday in the US? If you guessed anytime greater than
50 years, you would be wrong. The first recognized Earth Day took place
on April 22, 1970. It was not a celebration at all; in fact it was just
the opposite. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, known as the
“Father of Earth Day” created this idea as an
environmental protest, “to shake up the political
establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.”
Over 20 million people took to the street that day to support the
protest. In fact the EPA was founded as a direct result from this first
Earth Day.
Now, nearly 40 years later there seems to be a resurgence of
environmental conscious and Earth Day is more a celebration rather than
a protest. So, what are some relatively easy things you do to help the
environment today and well into the future?
1. First and foremost, you should recycle. Ink Cartridges are a killer.
So are most electronics. Don’t just throw out your old cell
phones, printers, computers, glass, batteries, newspapers, plastic
stamped with a #1 or #2 on the bottom, solicitation mail (aka junk
mail), cereal and shoe boxes. They all should be recycled.
2. Reuse bags. Bring bags back to the grocery store and refill them
with new groceries. Better yet, bring a canvass bag.
3. Replace your light bulbs with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights)
4. Unplug chargers (phone, computer, etc.) and turnoff lights and other
electronics when not in use.
5. Use organic and natural landscape techniques. Pesticides are not
necessary to produce a green lawn.
6. Install programmable thermostats. Each degree up or down not only
consumes less energy, but is better on your wallet too.
7. Use less water: Don’t run the water while you’re
brushing your teeth, and take shorter showers.
8. Use Refillable water bottles. Those small plastic water bottles are
a killer on the environment.
9. Download Digital books. No trees are harmed and no ink is used to
create digital books. Better yet, download digital books about the
environment. Here’s one for the kids: “All the way
to the Ocean.”
10. Whenever possible, use a bus, subway, ride a bike or walk.
Here are some facts you may not know:
1. The average American generates more than 3.5 pounds of trash a day.
2. About 90% of the energy used in lighting with a standard bulb is
lost as heat. (See point #3 above)
3. Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as
many as one million sea creatures every year.
4. US industry “admits” to four billion pounds of
toxic pollution released per year.
5. Approximately one billion books are put into landfills each year.
(See point #9 above)
On April 22, let’s all take some time to celebrate the Earth.
You’ll be happy you did. So will the generations of people
who will walk this Earth in the centuries to come.
About The Author
Robert Budlow, President, Still Motion Media
http://www.stillmotionmedia.com, producer of MobiStories, digital books
for kids. Picture Books from noted authors and illustrators are
digitized, narrated, include sound effects and music and released on
mobile devices including iPhones, iPods, DVD players, PC and Mac
computers.
Board Chair, Children's Brain Tumor Foundation, New York City
Formerly President of Direct Marketing firm, two-time recipient of the
prestigious Inc. Magazine 500 fastest growing company in America
Award