Spring is here and with that comes the annual celebration of our beautiful Earth. At this time of year, I notice all the brave little flowers poking up their heads through the snow or green and brown grass. Crocuses and coltsfoot are among the first. Mixed in with these flowers along the side of the road is also garbage that was buried under the snow and is now revealed. I become tempted to start picking up these items and throwing them into a garbage bag.
It is a natural, beautiful time of year to make some gestures of good will towards the Earth who supports us in all we need for life. We all know how much the Earth needs our help right now. Taking action for the Earth doesn’t need to be costly. Here are some budget-friendly actions to consider on this beautiful day of celebration: 1) Picking up roadside or beach garbage- Invite a friend or family member, grab some garbage bags and rubber gloves, and head down to your nearest road or beach. Think of it as being like an extended Easter Egg Hunt, only you are not hunting for eggs but for trash! Check out Scotian Shores community beach clean up events for volunteers. 2) Shopping at the local farmer’s market- Not everything at the farmer’s market is expensive! Vegetables and fruits are often a comparable price to grocery store items. Save your shopping for the market and be rewarded with many pleasant interactions with neighbors, friends, and local farmers. Buy food in season and with less packaging and waste. Support a resilient local food economy. 3) Buying in bulk- There are several stores and services out there that enable us to buy food, dish washing liquid, and other things in bulk. It saves money and packaging. Search for the nearest Bulkbarn, health food store, or even drugstore (Teasdale’s Apothecary in Antigonish allows bulk buying and refillable containers). Speerville Flour Mill is an Atlantic Canada company that provides organic and bulk food at very reasonable prices. You can do group ordering to reduce the cost of shipping. 4) Writing a letter- This action costs only your time. Do you have an environmental issue that needs to be addressed? It could be anything ranging from clear-cutting of our forests to saving a park from golf development. Consider it to be a great service you can do for both the public and the planet. For ideas of campaigns to support in Nova Scotia visit Ecology Action Centre. 5) Attend an Earth Day Parade- Who said environmental activism can’t be fun? On Saturday April 22nd at 2pm a People’s Parade will be happening in Halifax. It will be a great show of creativity and love for the Earth and its people. There will be drumming, puppets, and costumes. Consider joining if you live nearby or make your own Earth Day parade by going on a walk in nature with a friend or two dressed in your favorite colourful attire! 6) Take your bicycle for a ride- Cycling is one of the most holistically healthy transportation methods that I can think of. You get exercise, you can see beautiful nature up close, and you get fresh air (as long as you’re not stuck behind a diesel truck). You power your own way to your destination, without the use of fossil fuels. Learn how to tune up your bike online or find a friendly person who can do it for you and get on the seat again! 7) Sign a petition- One of my favorite organisations for global environmental activism is Avaaz. They take on big campaigns like the next big extinction and octopus farming. Consider donating or simply signing a petition in support of one of their many great causes. It reminds us that we are not alone in our concerns and that when many people act together we can be a great force of change! 8) Eating less meat- There are many good reasons to reduce the amount of meat in our diets. Processed meats have been declared carcinogenic by the WHO and red meat as probably carcinogenic. Cattle are major emitters of greenhouse gases and the land and water needed to support their development is massive. There is also the animal rights concern. Think about the scale of factory farming of chicken or pigs needed to support enough meat to feed 8 billion plus people on the planet. Eating more vegetarian meals can save us money, reduce our environmental footprint, and help us live healthier lives. 9) Increase your home’s energy efficiency- This one takes a little investment but it can save you money in the long run! Efficiency Nova Scotia will come to your home and do an energy audit for $200. You can learn about rebates and interest-free loans that will help you to reduce heat loss. There is a Home Warming program for people with low-medium income, but you must own the home. 10) Give sustainability coaching a try- Do you struggle with climate anxiety or eco-grief? Do you have a hard time sticking to your environmental commitments? Sustainability coaching may be able to help you. A coach can help you to overcome obstacles to reaching your sustainable goals. They can guide you in creating a vision for your ideal life and help you to take small action steps in the right direction. You can learn how to live within your values. There is a free demo of sustainability coaching here. I hope some of these actions resonated for you! I encourage you to pick one action, either on this list or from your own creative brainstorming, and to commit to doing it for Earth Day. If you want support with taking action on the eco-crisis, you know how to reach me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this list and any Earth Day actions that you want to share. Consider liking Eco Connects on Facebook and send me a message. All the best with your sustainable initiatives. Happy Earth Day!
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AuthorMay is a sustainability coach, consultant, and gardener working in Nova Scotia. Archives
July 2023
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