Yes, I am old enough to remember the first Earth Day. You can read a little history of it here. It was a time of protest and increasing consciousness about the environment. Now I don’t so much consider it a protest but a time for gratitude. Gratitude for what the Earth has given me and a time to think of what I can give back. As a farmer and a maker of natural products, appreciation and celebration of the Earth is important, not just as one day but as a lifestyle.
Here are some tips I have for celebrating Earth Day. You can leave additional ideas in the comments. Celebrating with another person always makes it better!
- Cook. Cook something from scratch, not from a box. Maybe even buy the ingredients at the farmers market. You’ll appreciate the fresh taste and the process of converting something that came from the Earth into a meal. If you have young children, teach them to cook.
- Walk. Go for a nice walk. Hopefully the weather is nice enough where you are that this is possible. As you walk, be observant of the life around you; the trees, grass, new spring growth, etc. Its fun to do the same walk throughout the seasons so you can observe the changes.
- Watch the Sunset. Watching a sunset really pulls me back into the moment and makes me feel gratitude. Find a nice place to do this where you can relax. My best sunsets are from my deck at home as I watch the sun set over the mountains. Have a glass of beer or wine while watching – both come from the earth. Don’t you love this quote “God made yeast, as well as dough, and loves fermentation just as dearly as he loves vegetation.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Plant Something. If you haven’t already, plant at least part of your garden. If you live in a Temperate zone where you can still get a frost, you can plant peas, arugula and a few other hardy vegetables. Alternatively, plant some herbs in a pot in your kitchen. Or, pick a bouquet from your yard of what’s growing or even what is still present and dried from last summer.
- Craft. Do a craft from natural materials. Knit a washcloth using cotton yarn, Here are two websites to give you ideas and here.
Be conscious of your purchases and try to buy products that have less packaging as well as making sure that what packaging there is is recyclable packaging. Ingredients should be biodegradable. The earth is resilient but let’s do what we can to appreciate it.
Enjoy Earth Day!