Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day

Earth Day had it's first official celebration on April 22, 1970.  WOW 50 years ago!
I was still a young crazy hippy chick - listening to the likes of Janis Joplin, The Doors,  Jethro Tull and the Stones!!  LOL!  Jeans and barefoot  as often as I could be.  Life was groovy!

Well, 50 years later and still wearing the jeans and love being barefoot!  Yep - I still like much of the same music.  I weigh a bit more and have short hair now, but today I DO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THE PLANET!

There are usually lots of celebrations every year.  This year you will probably find many sites to visit on the Internet and there are many things that each of us can do every single day of every year - that can make a difference.  If each person on this planet makes a little change, that makes for a big change!
In the past few weeks our air quality has changed significantly!!!!!  So many fewer cars on the road and hardly no airplanes.  The quality of the air is measurably improved.  Isn't that something?

Let us all try to make some changes to help this old planet out.  As of today, it is the only one we have - it is beautiful and magnificent - and deserves to be taken care of.

• DON'T use chemicals!!!!  Use natural cleaning supplies - vinegar, salt, baking soda, peroxide, natural soaps.  Don't spray weed killer or pesticides on your lawn and garden - it kills the very bees we depend on, it harms all wildlife, and it is ingested IN YOU.  Keep things natural.
• Plant trees and wild flowers when you can.  Many wildflowers return every year and they attract bees and butterflies and hummingbirds, etc.  Plants improve the oxygen we breath.
• Use less energy.  Turn off things when not in use.  Unplug things.  Save water for other things, line dry laundry if possible, open the windows for fresh air and flow, open and close blinds according to the time of day (for light and heat), etc.  Ex:  if baking - bake several things, so as to use ALL the energy of the oven ONCE!  Cook and freeze meals for later.  Save shower water for plants or flushing...…...
• Have rain barrels if possible.  This is a great way to have extra water for gardens and plants when rain is lacking.  Can also use for animals or personal use (hair washing, flushing, etc.)
• Compost what you can.  Put scraps back into nature and help your garden grow
• GARDEN anything you can!!!!  Doesn't matter if you have a lawn size garden, a postage stamp size garden or a few potted plants.  Grow something to help in your natural food consumption
• Buy LESS packaging.  Go in with others and buy in bulk and share.  Use cloth bags to bring home groceries.  Go to farm markets and take your own re-usable bags.  Use glass jars and bottles when possible.  Stop buying all the individually packaged items!!!!! 
• Take a walk outside and pick up any and all trash you see along the road, in the fields, along sidewalks,  clean around waterways, etc..  Be the better person and pick it up - don't leave it there to clutter the earth
• Buy LOCAL.  You are helping your local community to survive, saving energy, etc..  Find new sources - farmers, greenhouses, orchards etc.  YEP, it may cost a bit more - but you are helping another local family and you are getting fresh product.
• Drive less.  Plan all your trips and hopefully people are now realizing that many trips are truly not needed.  (we are learning some good things from all this stuff going on).  Don't go back to the old ways of jumping in a car and just roaming around!!!!!!
• Teach younger people about nature, gardening, the old ways.  They truly NEED to learn - this old world is changing.  Have youngsters watch on-line programs like Nature's Notebook, Backyard Observer, etc.  Each area has it's own nature groups and channels and there is so much to learn (for adults too!)
• Reduce, re-use, recycle!!!!!!!!!  Use it up, wear it out or do without!!!!!!!

I hope you all do many little things to help this planet.  It is one of those jobs that TAKES A VILLAGE to accomplish!  

It is a shame that we have to have a day or a week to remind people of this - but we do.  People take so much for granted and unless we are mindful of what we have - it will someday be gone.

BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THE PLANET AND OUR RESOURCES!