Earth Day is here once again, but it can often feel like there’s no rhyme or reason to the plethora of Earth Day activities. So instead of just winging it, we’ve provided you with some surefire ways to get a real annual Earth Day tradition underway like all the other legit holidays. From creating your own calendars to throwing parties, we’ve got something for everyone!

1. Hit the Streets

Some might agree that there’s not much better for you than getting some fresh air in the great outdoors – even if that means a city or urban area – which is why one of our Earth Day tradition suggestions is to take alternative transportation. Walk the block from your house for breakfast, take the bus or subway, and even consider carpooling to work – organizing the group rides may stick around beyond the occasion. Another option is to incorporate some exercise simultaneously by taking your bike, hoofing it, or even busting out those dusty rollerblades that have been sitting in the garage. Whatever you choose, try to avoid using your car alone.

2. Earth Day Shindig

Ok, so this isn’t all about literal “digging” per say, but it does involve a lot of fun, food, and friends while also celebrating Mother Earth. We’re suggesting an Earth Day party with a few of your closest, or people you feel may need a little enlightening this year. Screen environmental documentaries, such as “An Inconvenient Truth”;  “Blue Vinyl”; or “Earthlings,” and ask guests to bring an item to donate to a food bank or other good cause as their entry fee.

Additionally, we would suggest serving vegan or vegetarian food and organic wines and liquor to really get the party started. Compostable plates might not be a bad idea either. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, have guests create Earth Day themed costumes using recycled materials for a fun contest. Good times and environmental awareness all at once – what’s not to love?! This will be an event friends look forward to year after year.

3. Plan Ahead Calendar

If you’d rather have a nice quiet evening at the house, then consider picking up a calendar – made from recycled materials, of course – or use your phone’s calendar to proactively create reminders for the year ahead that will help you accomplish the small, medium, or big goals that will help you feel like you’re making the world a better place. Whether it’s as simple as swapping your light bulbs for something more efficient, upgrading your appliances to ones that use less energy, or a project as involved as eliminating meat from your diet, or setting up a composting station outside, we believe in you! This is an ideal tradition for years to come, especially fun to plan activities for littles in your life as well.

4. Lend a Helping Hand

Volunteers are crucial when it comes to spreading awareness and lending a hand. We think spending Earth Day helping one of your favorite environmental organizations is a great way to have a productive and feel good tradition that can take place year after year, as well as throughout. VolunteerMatch.org is a great place to start looking for opportunities near you – they have over 10,000 opportunities through the United States – wow! Meetup.com is another resource to find local groups. The activities range from sustainability, environmental awareness, and new urbanism, to alternative energy, green home, green living, and vegan and vegetarianism. Go out there are discover something or someone new – like-minded people working towards similar good for the planet goals.

5. Get Down and Dirty

Get down and dirty for Earth Day – right in your own backyard! Take that idea however you wish, but know that we’re talking about getting your hands dirty by planting a few trees or starting that garden you always dreamed about. If you’re short on space or don’t want a gargantuan tree in the yard, then try an Eastern Redbud, Crape Myrtle, Serviceberry, Paper Birch, or Japanese Cherry to name just a few. Vegetable gardening might seem a little daunting, especially if you’re like me and can kill a cactus, but we’ve got a handy little guide from Gardener’s Supply Company to get you started – add a new vegetable every year and you’ll have a thriving food source for you and your family.

How do you feel about our ideas for Earth Day? Do you have any traditions already in the works? Let us know on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Celebrate Earth Day all year long with simple and green DIY projects.

April 22nd is when we celebrate Earth Day, but don’t just stop there. Earth Day actually has a year-round mission to widen and engage the environmental movement worldwide through education and action. You don’t have to wait until Earth Day to celebrate, but now that it’s here you can take action with one of these simple DIY projects.

1. Seed Bombs – Seed bombs are balls made up a mixture of soil, compost and seeds that can be used to plant in difficult to reach locations (like vacant lots you may not have access to). It’s a form of guerilla gardening for celebrating Earth Day and is a statement about reclaiming space for nature as much as it is a planting method.
2. DIY Macrame Market Bags – Instead of buying those reusable bags at some big box store, make your own market bag. Simply use repurposed fabrics and yarns for a stylish, practical and sustainable solution for what to use at the market.
3. Pallet Compost Bin – Turn your yard waste and table scraps into usable compost to feed your vegetable garden and flower beds. Repurposing pallets is one great solution for making a practical compost bin.
4. Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat in Your Yard – Most of us who live in the suburbs do not actually use our yards and none of us needs a lawn, that antiquated idea of what a yard is supposed to look like that dates backs to the 16th-century aristocracy. Create a certified wildlife habitat with your yard and allow nature to flourish in the suburbs again.
5. Vermicomposting Bin – If you live in an apartment, but still want to compost, consider vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is simply composting with worms and can be done mess-free, inside a container.
6. Little Free Library – Build a Little Free Library for you and your neighbors and eschew the Kindle and other e-devices. I don’t know about you, but I have shelves and shelves of books I could share with others instead of contributing more e-waste to the planet!
7. Feed the Pollinators – Plant trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants that will provide food for pollinators like bees and butterflies. And commit to going pesticide-free!

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