By: DairyFreeGina
Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22nd. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 when a United States senator from Wisconsin organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues. By the end of that year, the U.S. government had created the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA).
This year’s Earth Day theme is “Invest In Our Planet”, which highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues.
Here are some ideas you can use this Earth Day,and everyday, to protect our planet:
1. Eat Dairy Free
Study after study shows raising animals for milk production and slaughter takes a drastic toll on the environment. Dairy and meat eaters account for almost double the climate killing carbon dioxide emissions than vegans and vegetarians. If the entire world participated in just one meatless meal a week, it would be equivalent to taking 240 million cars off the road every year!
Eating dairy and meat free saves water too. It takes 100-200 times more water to produce 1 pound of beef than to grow 1 pound of plant food. 70% of grains grown in the U.S. feed livestock. Imagine if these grains were used to feed the world’s starving population !
2. Toss Plastic, Use Glass – Glass containers are excellent for storing leftovers and food products and glass is better for you and the environment. And while you’re transitioning to glass, get a glass or stainless steel water bottle and ditch the plastic ones.
3. Turn Off Lights, Unplug Electronics – Unplug anything not in use to save money and energy. Opt for appliances with the Energy Star rating when buying a new refrigerator or other appliances to save energy and money.
4. Grow Your Own Food – Not only will you know where your food comes from and how it is grown, but you’ll save money and reduce the amount of emissions in the environment from trucks transporting produce to stores. And with vertical gardening, container gardening and hydroponics, it doesn’t take much space to have a garden. Make 2023 the year you start a garden! And don’t forget to save all those kitchen scraps to add to your compost pile.
5. BYO Bag – Cloth shopping bags are reusable, can be washed between shopping trips and reduce the need for plastic bags. More than 100,000 marine animals die every year from getting caught in plastic bags or ingesting them. For more info click here
6. Use Less Paper- No one loves paper more than I do, but the more we recycle paper the better . Cancel newspaper, magazine and catalog subscriptions you don’t really read. Use a dishcloth or cloth rag to clean up spills instead of paper towels.
For more information on Earth Day click here
What are you doing to green up your life? Share your tips in our comments section.
@DairyFreeGina , April2023. Please do not publish with the written permission of DairyFreeGina
DairyFreeGina is allergic to milk and lamb, and eats vegan and gluten free. Gina is a life long fitness enthusiast, runner and dancer who is passionate about talking food, nutrition, health and exercise. Gina loves cats big and small, calls Disney World her 2nd home– and often blogs on these topics too
