Earth Day

April 22 is Earth Day, begun in the United States in 1970, it is often heralded as the beginning of the environmental movement. The first International Earth Day was celebrated in 1990.

The http://www.earthday.ca/ website has a resource section with everything you need to plan, organize and participate in an Earth Day, Earth Week or Earth Month event, in a series of downloadable PDFs from their Earth Day Project Planner. But don't think of it as one day a year but the start of a new outlook on the Earth. These resources are also wonderful if you are planning an activity or project to use for the Right Whale Steward program.

Here is a great list of Top 10 Actions from the www.earthday.ca website:

1 Smart Shopping
• “Buy what you need, not what you want”
• Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed
• Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores

2 Simple Savers
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
• Use aerators on faucets and shower heads
• Weatherstrip windows and doors

3 Transportation Alternatives
• Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation
• When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure
• Consider car sharing programs or renting

4 Food Choices
• Choose local and organic foods that are in season, and support local food producers
• Eat less meat

5 Washing and Drying
• Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry

6 Heating and cooling
• For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C
• For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C
• Install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats

7 Close to Home
• Vacation, travel and work as close to home as possible

8 Bathroom Basics
• Take short showers instead of baths
• Close water taps while brushing your teeth

9 Careful Cleaning
• Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products
• Make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water

10 Don’t Discard
• Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash
• Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers