Celebrate Earth Day with These Planet-friendly Habits

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. More than 193 countries take part in the globally coordinated effort to preserve the planet we live on.

Here are a few activities that you can engage in to help protect the planet: 

• Walk or bike to work instead of using the car or motorcycle in order to minimize the emission of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
• Save on water. Shorten your showers and turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth.  Did you know that the dishwasher uses much less water than washing dishes by hand?  Also, use drip irrigation to water plants instead of a sprinkler system. 
• Start a backyard vegetable garden to save on trips to the grocery store.  Consider growing tomatoes, zucchini, onions, garlic, and more. 
• Grow an herb garden in your kitchen window so you don’t have to make a trip to the grocery store when you need herbs for cooking.
• Install a low-flow toilet as a replacement for the standard toilet that uses a lot of water for every flush.
• Have a reusable bag handy every time you go grocery shopping instead of relying on the disposable plastic grocery bags that pollute the environment.
• Turn off electrical devices at home when you are going out; otherwise, they may continue to consume electricity.
• Repair leaky faucets. Even small drips can add up to a significant amount of water waste.
• Recover rainwater. If you live in a region with frequent rains, catch the rainwater from your roof and keep it in a reservoir. You can use the water for many purposes such as washing your car or watering the plants.
• Donate your old clothes. If your clothes are still usable, donate them to charitable organizations that can give them away or sell them to fund important causes. 

Earth Day is a great reminder to start new, Earth-friendly practices.  Just make sure that you continue them into the future.  The planet depends on it.