6 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Every Day
Just like a birthday, we celebrate our planet each year. In the spring of 1970, April 22 was designated as Earth Day. It’s a callout to honor our beautiful world, and commit to the preservation of our natural resources.
But why limit your actions and activism to one day? Now more than ever, our world needs some love 365 days a year. So, here are six simple ways that you can care for the environment as you go about your day.
1. Buy Organic
Pesticides. Herbicides. Fungicides. The list of chemicals sprayed on crops in conventional agriculture isn’t pretty. These chemicals end up in the soil, poison our waterways, and are in our food supply. They are toxic to habitats and our health, linked to gut disorders and worse.
Organic fruits, veggies, and crops are different. They’re grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides so your food is less toxic. Organic farms also use regenerative methods that keep the soil healthy for future generations.
Not only that, organic food is typically more nutritious, with higher levels of antioxidants linked to better health. Eating organic is more expensive, so if you have to choose, pick these 15 organic foods when shopping.
2. Plants for Pollinators
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can make a positive difference for pollinators with a garden of any size. Aim for native plants, wildflowers, and grasses that support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators (1).
To start, choose native flowers that will be good sources of nectar and pollen for bees. Plant local milkweed varieties for migrating monarch butterflies. And avoid the use of any pesticides so that all pollinators can thrive.
3. Reduce Plastic Use
Using less plastic is tough to do because plastic is everywhere. Water bottles, food packaging, shipping materials, and on and on. But reducing the volume of plastic isn’t just important for our oceans and landfills, it’s vital for our health.
All that plastic eventually degrades into microplastics and nanoplastics. Testing showed a single bottle of water can expose you to 250,000 nanoplastics (2). Research shows microplastics can deposit in plaques and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke (3).
4. Avoid GMO Foods
Also known as frankenfoods, GMOs are foods made with genetically modified organisms. While at first that may seem like it could improve the food, the reality is not quite so rosy.
That’s because most GMO foods have been modified to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. This was supposed to mean that fewer pesticides would be needed. Instead, it has resulted in vast quantities of toxic glyphosate being applied to GMO crops.
Since the introduction of GMO crops such as corn, soy, and canola, the use of glyphosate has skyrocketed 15-fold. Agricultural economist Charles M. Benbrook Ph.D., noted that, “Genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant crops now account for about 56 percent of global glyphosate use” (4).
Glyphosate is linked to liver and kidney problems, the risk of gluten intolerance, harm to the gut, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (5, 6, 7). So, GMOs that have been sprayed with glyphosate should be avoided. That means steering clear of most conventional corn, soy, canola, and alfalfa. Pick organic for a healthier choice.
5. Recycle When Possible
Magazines, glass bottles, aluminum cans, plastic jugs – there’s a lot that can be recycled (here’s a common list). Check with your local waste authority to see the full list of items that can be saved from landfills.
Even with recycling, plastic remains a challenge. Research shows on average, only about 9% of plastics used in the United States are recycled each year. That makes it more important than ever to reduce plastic in our environment.
What can brands you buy from do? Touchstone Essentials took this to the next level by becoming a certified plastic neutral company with rePurpose Global. That means for every piece of plastic in their supply chain, they fund the removal of that amount of plastic from the environment.
So far, this has led to the removal of over 35,000 pounds of plastics that otherwise would have ended up in our oceans.
6. Plant a Tree (or Trees!)
One of the best ways to help our planet is to plant trees. Trees cool city streets, filter toxins from the air, release vital oxygen, and conserve water. They also provide critical habitat for countless creatures.
Even if you don’t have space to plant a tree in your yard, you can still make it happen. Simply make a small donation to tree planting organizations such as One Tree Planted. Supporting tree planting can mean restoring critical ecosystems.
Reforestation is vital. And that’s how Touchstone Essentials celebrates Earth Day. In 2024, another 10,000 trees were planted with One Tree Planted to help replenish forests where needed.
While the challenges facing our planet can seem immense, small steps can add up to a profound impact. With these easy activities, you can celebrate our world every day and make a difference.
