By Christina Schlachter
Boulder, Colorado
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. While usual community and volunteer activities will have to wait, here are 5 virtual (and not-so-virtual) actions you can take for the Earth.
1. Plant a tree. If it is hard to dig a hole without breaking social distancing recommendations, donate to One Tree Planted. One-dollar plants one tree -it doesn’t getany easier than that.
2. If you are ordering take-out, be sure to let the restaurant know you do not need utensils.While the coronavirus has caused uncertainty in our community and world, single-useplastic utensils are undeniably unnecessary.
3. Start your own veggie garden. If there was any time to sit and watch plants grow, now isthe time. Maybe just plant an herb garden this year, and then grow into something biggeras you get more experience.
4. While we practice social distancing to help stop the spread, let's also practice earth-friendly behaviors to stop climate change. The Nature Conservancy's carbon footprint calculator is a great place to start. Is there something you have given up during the pandemic that has helped the environment (fewer trips to the grocery store?). Try and make a goal to reduce your footprint by 10% this year.
5. Cook a climate friendly meal. What better time to try new recipes? With simple changes to your grocery list, you can create positive change for our planet every day.
In a time of crisis, thinking about Earth Day may be low on the priority list for many people, but with a few simple actions we can keep pushing forward and create resilient communities and a healthy world for future generations.