Today is April Fools’ Day. I’ve already seen headlines that have made me scratch my head and question whether they were real or just a fun trick, including one about shoes from the Washington Post that was, in fact, very real and a great read: The problem with your sneakers? They’re built to last too long.
But today also marks the first day of Earth Month. While I definitely don’t believe that the earth should only get one month or one day of our focus, we can all use Earth Month as a good reset. So often, when people think about steps they can take to be more environmentally conscious, they get overwhelmed and freeze. But it doesn’t have to be hard and it doesn’t have to take a lot of effort or money. Sure, there are big actions that we all can and should take – like electrifying our homes – but sometimes those actions require a little more planning and funding. For today’s article though, I want to offer 20 easy (and cheap or even free) things you can do during April to celebrate the earth without too much effort.
1) Register to vote! 64 countries plus the EU go to the polls this year. Registering to vote is easy (at least here in the US – I can’t pretend to know the process in every country), and it is one of the biggest things you can do this month. I thought about saving this one for last as I think it’s the most important, but out of fear that no one will read through all 20 items, I decided to lead with it. If you do one thing this month, please do this (and then make a plan to vote!).
2) Go plogging. Plogging is simply picking up trash while you run. Bring a bag and a pair of gloves, and next time you head out, see how much trash you can collect. You’ll probably be unpleasantly surprised. Not a runner? You can plog while walking too! Maybe you can get others in your community to join you.
3) Go meatless or just eat less meat. Huge meat eater? Try cutting it out 2x per week in April. Not a big meat eater already? See if you can cut it out completely this month. One study showed that if everyone in the US cut meat consumption by 25%, greenhouse gas emissions would fall 1%. Not too shabby.
4) Ditch the plastic produce bag. Buying 6 apples, 4 sweet potatoes, and 3 bell peppers at the grocery store this week? Try skipping the plastic bag. I haven’t used a plastic produce bag in years and I can’t say I miss it. Such a simple switch that, in the example I just gave, saved 3 bags from the landfills. Doesn’t sound like much but when I think about how much produce my family alone buys in a given year, the amount isn’t so miniscule.
5) Don’t click “checkout” right away. We live in a time of instant satisfaction. That makes online shopping easy – too easy! It’s so common to think about something you need (let’s be honest – “want” is probably more accurate) and just quickly go online and buy it. But what if you force yourself to wait. What if instead of buying something the minute you think of it, you hold off and force yourself to wait a day, 3 days, a week before buying it? Maybe you’ll realize you don’t actually need that shirt, skirt, plastic toy. You’re welcome. I just saved you money.
6) Visit your library. Most of the books I read aren’t books that I feel the need to hold onto forever. They’re fun reads that I enjoy in the moment and then I’m perfectly happy to return them for someone else to read. You’re welcome. I just saved you more money! But for those books that I do want to keep on my bookcase, like Damian Hall’s We Can’t Run Away from This, I’ll still make a trip to my local bookstore.
7) Say no to take out utensils. I’ve noticed recently that when I order take out, I often have the option to check a box that says “no utensils.” It used to be that my family would order take out to eat at home and wind up with 5 plastic forks, 3 plastic knives, and occasionally the random spoon, all of which would sit in a junk drawer until eventually making their way to our landfill. Now, we just get the food and use our own utensils.
8) Carry a water bottle. Going out and know you’ll be stopping for a quick bite? Or heading out on a long car or train journey? Bring your own water bottle so you aren’t tempted to buy a plastic water bottle. Wow – I just saved you money again!
9) Repair something. If for no other reason than to prove that you can, take that shirt/backpack/pants with the hole in them and see what you do with a needle and thread. A simple hole does not need to be the end of life for a garment.
10) Refill something. How many shampoo bottles, hand soap, or dish soap bottles do you buy in a year? What if the answer could be zero? See if there are any refill stores in your area and check them out.
11) Wash less. Washing out plastic based clothing is the number one source of microplastic pollution. There are a lot of potential solutions to this such as buying a laundry filter and reducing plastic based clothing in your wardrobe, but one option is just to wash things less. I’m not suggesting you don’t wash that sweaty shirt that you just ran a marathon in, but that shirt that you wore for an hour yesterday? It may live to dress you another day before needing to be washed!
12) Take a train. Are there any car or plane journeys you make that can be made by train instead? Even though I drive an EV, I’ve started taking the train more often between my house and my parents house (about a 3.5 hour drive without traffic – and face it, between Boston and New York, there is never no traffic). It’s not always an option – like when we travel with the dog – but when it is an option, I find it a much more pleasant way to travel.
13) Shop in your own closet. As the seasons change, don’t just assume that you need a new wardrobe for the new season. Maybe a quick closet reorganization and a fresh set of eyes on what you have is all you really need.
14) Go for a walk in nature. Go outside and look around. Put down the phone and really look. Remind yourself why this all matters.
15) Write an email. Want to advocate for a race you’re running to drop their high carbon sponsor like The Green Runners has done? Write an email to the race director and tell them what you’re looking for. Similarly, want to see a company do better on their production? Ask for it. As customers/participants, our words have power.
16) Write an email. Yup – another email. Want change? Write an email to your local representative. Maybe it’s in support of a bill outlawing single use plastic cups as is being proposed in California or a bill penalizing ultra-fast fashion for their environmental impact like we’re seeing in France. Whatever change you want to see, ask for it.
17) Write an email. I promise this is the last email. Is there a company out there that is doing this particularly well? Maybe a company that is more transparent than the rest. Or a company that has focused on durability over production. Email them and thank them. Make them see that their hard work has not gone unnoticed. It’s easy to criticize but sometimes we forget to give credit where credit is due.
18) Join a group. Find a group that you relate to and join them. I joined The Green Runners because I was looking for like minded individuals who could support me in my journey to make a change in the sport of running. I’m able to learn from other Green Runners, share insights, and generally support each other. Nothing about making a positive impact on this planet is a solo effort. We all have to take some action. We all have to push governments and corporations for big actions. But none of us can do it alone. And who knows, maybe you’ll make some awesome friends along the way.
19) Volunteer. Have you wanted to get more involved in climate issues but don’t know how? Try to find a group to volunteer with. It could be as simple as joining a river clean up one SAturday afternoon. Or, if the opportunity allows, it could be more involved like joining a board.
20) Tell a friend. One of the biggest things we can do is to speak out. It doesn’t have to be preachy. It doesn’t have to be aggressive. But maybe telling your friend why you use the library. Or encouraging a friend to register to vote. Or you could just ask your friend to go for a walk in nature with you.
If you take any of these actions, I’d love to hear about it.
The Green Ostrich 