Earth Day 2021: Restore our Earth

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”

-Native American Proverb

Earthday.org is the organization responsible for the global Earth day movement which started in 1970.  The theme that Earthday.org has chosen for Earth Day 2021 is “Restore the Earth” and we will give you some ideas for how you can help restore the Earth even though we are socially distancing and many of us are at home.

There are five pillars to Restore the Earth.

1. The Canopy Project. The Canopy Project seeks to plant trees around the world. Donating $1 equals 1 tree. This is a simple and tangible action that you can take now from the comfort of your own home. So far, The canopy project has planted tens of millions of trees.  Reforestation is one of the cheapest ways to reduce CO2 pollution. Planting trees also help prevent erosion and regulate local temperature. It also provides habitats for animals. 
2. Food and Environment. This pillar seeks to educate people on the effects that their food choices have on the planet. There are  resources that help you discover truths about the systems that bring your food to you and how they impact the environment. As well as help you make small changes that can make big differences.
3. The great Global Cleanup. Have you heard of plogging? Plogging is a term that means picking up litter as you jog to help keep your surroundings clean. You can also  organize a group cleanup around your community, or do it as an individual. Every piece of litter taken off the ground is the potential of one less innocent animal being trapped or injured by a piece of plastic.
4. Climate Literacy. Another initiative that Earthday.org is seeking to do is to make sure that every school is required to teach about the effects we  have on the climate as well as a civic engagement element. If you would like to help students learn how to sustain a better environment then take action by  signing this petition. 
5. The Global Earth Challenge started in 2020 and is a movement to get everyday people involved with protecting the planet. The Global Earth Challenge has developed a mobile app where volunteers submit scientific research and empowers them to observe and log potential hazards to the environment and human health. 

Here are 20 other things that you can do to help restore the earth.

1. Save the pollinators such as bees and butterflies by planting native plants. 
2. Move to paperless billing. 
3. Buy organic food to reduce toxic buildup in your body and not support the use of pesticides which kills pollinators.
4. Practice sustainable fashion and donate used clothing and home items instead of throwing them away.
5. Avoid using single-use plastic items. Try to use items that are packaged in glass or paper or reusable plastics. 
6. Take shorter showers to reduce water waste.
7. Learn about clean energy and find ways to use more clean energy.
8. Buy local foods to support local farmers. 
9. Use reusable water bottles.
10. Join the Earthday.org virtual 3 days Earth day summit and learn from teachers, scientists, and climate activists about what we all can do to live more sustainably.  
11. Learn more about climate change.  NASA has a list of resources for all ages to learn about our planet and how to protect it.
12. For spring cleaning use toxic-free cleaners. This glass bottle is perfect for making your own chemical- free cleaners. 
13. Build a bat box near your home to help protect bats who are losing their homes due to deforestation. Did you know that bats are natural insecticides? Check out this  website to learn the importance of bats to our environment and how to build a  bat box.   
14. Unplug your appliances when you’re not using them. Even if your appliances are off, but are plugged in, they are using power.
15. Invest in a bidet or bidet attachment.  Toilet paper production results in the destruction of 15 million trees a year in the United States alone. Using a bidet reduces the amount of toilet paper used, is more sanitary, and works out to be cheaper in the long run.
16. Bring a reusable mug to your coffe shop. We know that you need coffee, but you can reduce waste by not using their plastic cups.
17. Switch to reusable batteries.
18. Save the turtles by using reusable straws. Invest in stainless steel or bamboo straws instead of  plastic ones.
19. Unsubscribe from junk mail and save paper. This  website lists some resources for getting off of the junk mailing lists. 
20. This last tip has to be our favorite, add plants to your home! Plants regulate temperature which will help you save money and energy on heating and cooling your home and add to the beauty of any space.