50 Ideas to Celebrate 50 Years of Earth Day

These are challenging times and it’s important to celebrate when we can, even if we cannot do so in person. For example, April 22 marks the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day. That’s something to celebrate, for sure!

The Natural Resources Council of Maine had been in the process of creating events with our members and others throughout Maine that are now on hold, due to our current circumstances. But we still intend to celebrate this milestone with you — it will just have to be online.

Let’s start with this list of NRCM staff members’ favorite steps — big and small — that we all can safely take to celebrate Earth Day. We stopped at 50, in honor of the 50^th anniversary of this special occasion. That means there are plenty more, and we welcome your ideas. Stay safe and healthy, and Happy Earth Day!

50 Ways to Live Sustainably & Celebrate Earth Day

1. The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action. Calculate your carbon footprint online and identify a few ways to lower your footprint.
2. Go “plogging.” When you’re on a walk or a run, pick up trash along the way. Don’t forget to wear gloves!
3. Create an Earth Day poster (8 ½ x 11) with your kids, then take a photo of it and send it to us. We will share artwork on our website.
4. Do some “spring clearing-out” with the goal of bringing items to Goodwill or Salvation Army, when they are open for collections.
5. If it’s spring cleaning you’re doing, use toxic-free cleaning products—find out how to make your own with everyday ingredients around your home by downloading a copy of our Clean & Healthy Housekeeping brochure.
6. Organize your refrigerator in a way that helps you reduce food waste. Store meat and fish on the bottom shelf where it’s coldest. Put veggies in the high-humidity drawer, and fruits in the low humidity drawer. Store leftovers on the upper shelf and label them with dates. Don’t put milk or eggs in the door where it is the warmest.
7. Make a contribution to the Chickadee Checkoff on Maine’s income tax form to help provide funding for non-game and endangered and threatened species in Maine. (Note Maine’s new Tax Day 2020: July 15)
8. Plant native plants in your yard or get your seedlings started. Non-natives can out-compete native species for resources. Look especially for plants that attract pollinators and other insects that are part of a healthy ecosystem and that rely on native plants for food and habitat.
9. Put up a bat house if you have a large yard. Bats are nature’s insecticide! Follow NWF’s suggestion to buy or build the right bat house.
10. When possible, support Maine State Parks and other conservation lands by visiting one of the many locations across the state. Although many are closed right now, some are still open – be sure to practice physical distancing, but turn back if the park begins to get crowded.
11. Make your voice heard and contact your legislators about issues that are important to you whether it is protecting wild places, recycling reform, improving public transport, acting on climate, or something else.
12. Try your hand at writing a poem or haiku about nature, and send it to us at nrcm@nrcm.org!
13. Take a light bulb inventory to find out how many are not LED bulbs, then make a plan to swap them to LEDs to save money and energy.
14. Use your phone to take photos of plants, insects, and other wildlife on your property and upload it iNaturalist to learn what they are.
15. Photograph nature in your backyard and send it to us for a special My Maine This Week feature.
16. Write a letter-to-the-editor about an environmental issue that you care about.
17. Read a book or blog by an NRCM Maine author.
18. Swap disposable kitchen and bath products for reusable versions.
19. Create a vegetable garden.
20. Encourage your town or city to add sidewalks or off-street paths, where appropriate, so residents have safe places to walk and bike.
21. If you don’t already, get in the habit of composting.
22. Try out a new walk or bike route. Be sure to practice physical distancing for as long as cautions are in place.
23. Buy and donate a bike rack to your town. Call your public works department to find out how.
24. Buy and donate silverware to your school. Call your school nutrition director to find out how.
25. Install rainwater barrels or other collectors to provide water for your garden.
26. Do not burn the brush you pick up around your yard. Use it to create a brush pile—they provide shelter for birds and other wildlife.
27. Make reusable t-shirt bag.
28. Pull out those washable napkins you’ve been saving. It’s a great way to cut down on paper towel waste and saves you a trip to the grocery store.
29. Repot that plant that outgrew its pot last season that you’ve “been meaning to get to”— your plant will be so happy!
30. Look into buying an electric car. Start by learning more about incentives offered by Efficiency Maine.
31. Prune your succulents to create a bunch of baby starts. By doing so now you should have lovely little plants to share as holiday gifts this winter.
32. Advocate for environmental issues with local community groups.
33. Try a new meatless recipe, and incorporate more vegetarian and vegan meals into your week.
34. Use ecomaine’s Recyclopedia to answer all the questions you’ve ever had about what’s recyclable and what’s not.
35. Learn about alternatives to harmful balloon releases and the simple ordinance your community can adopt to stop them.
36. Get an easy-to-use bird book and take time with your kids to identify together birds you see around your yard.
37. Conserve natural resources by turning something old into something new! Find thousands of ideas at Instructables.com.
38. Thinking about doing some painting? Learn how to protect your neighbors and yourself from poisonous lead dust.
39. Talk to the young adults in your life about the importance of giving.
40. Replace a car trip with a bus trip, bicycle ride, or walk, if a safe and accessible route is available.
41. Consider solar for your home by contacting a local installer or encourage your town or city to install a larger solar installation or community solar project.
42. Vote for the environment in every local, state, and federal election! The next election is coming up in June.
43. Switch to e-billing. It saves paper and ensures health safety—so important right now!
44. Take advantage of Efficiency Maine incentives to install a heat pump in your home.
45. Avoid bottled water by always filling up your reusable water bottle before you head out of the house.
46. Skip the dryer and hang clothes on a line outside. If that’s not possible, use a drying rack that you can set up inside.
47. Keep a stash of cloth rags in a basket or bag in convenient places around your home, for use instead of paper towels.
48. Shrink your lawn! Allowing more of your land to grow wild means better habitat for insects—and less work, gasoline, and motor noise for you and your neighborhood.
49. Work to reduce the amount of plastic you use.
50. Become a member of NRCM. Already a member? Give a gift membership for someone special in your life. You’ll be helping protect the nature of Maine, for generations to come!