Did you forget about Earth Day last week? Don’t worry! You can celebrate Earth Day every day by incorporating sustainable habits into your daily routine at home. Here are five ways you can keep our planet clean while staying at home.
(Anela Miki-Han | The Poly Post)
Plant your own garden
Need a new hobby while in quarantine and want to help the Earth? Grow some plants and build a garden. These new plants in your garden will help clean the air by producing more oxygen and absorbing excess carbon in the atmosphere, according to National Geographic. You can grow different types of plants such as succulents, flowers and trees. But you might want to consider planting fruits and vegetables. You’ll save money and have organic fruits and vegetables in your home while the plants clean the air throughout the year.
Make compost with old food
Instead of throwing away last night’s leftovers or moldy fruits, make compost. It will help your new garden grow and can help you reduce your amount of trash by 28%, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To make your own compost, place a bin in a dry, shady area. Next, chop old vegetables, fruits and food scraps into small pieces and add to the bin. Then, add dead leaves, twigs and grass clippings, and add water until moist and you’re done! The compost is ready to be added to your soil.
Eat less meat
You might be questioning how eating less meat contributes to helping the environment. It’s because the effect of your diet is indirect. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, one steak takes over 1,000 gallons of water to make. Ranchers burn and cut down miles of trees in order to expand their ranches and produce more meat. By cutting down your meat intake, you could save thousands of trees and gallons of water.
Invest in reusable and/or biodegradable items
Instead of using single-use plastic bags and straws, try to use reusable or biodegradable options. Buying reusable items, like metal straws and cloth grocery bags, will help the reduction of trash and litter in our environment. If you don’t want to buy reusable items, use biodegradable items available in restaurants and stores, like paper bags or bamboo straws. These items will decompose within a couple of months, whereas plastic will take decades to break down and can contribute to pollution. By avoiding plastic and single-use items, we can reduce the amount of trash that harms the planet.
Make your own all-purpose cleaner
Don’t rely on chemical-filled cleaning products that will harm the health of the planet. The ingredients within these cleaning products contribute to smog and reduce the quality of drinking water when exposed to the environment, according to the United States EPA. To help the Earth, make your own! By making your own cleaner with household ingredients, you will avoid toxic chemicals and reduce harm to the environment while saving money. To make a chemical-free cleaner, combine ½ cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of baking soda and ½ a gallon of water.
One day to celebrate the Earth is simply not enough. This planet we call home should be taken care of daily. So, with these five simple ways to keep our planet clean, we can start giving the love and care our home deserves every single day.