Each year, the world gathers on April 22 to celebrate the birth of the modern environmental movement, which began half a century ago in 1970. It’s a day to raise awareness and take action around climate change and other environmental issues, while also celebrating our beautiful planet.
This year, we’ll be taking to our gardens to celebrate, because environmental stewardship begins in our own backyards. Here are some ideas we’ve gathered for how to celebrate the 51st Earth Day in your garden:
Global food production is responsible for nearly a quarter of our total greenhouse gas emissions. When we grow our own food, we reduce the environmental impact of that production by eliminating the need for transportation, processing, and packaging. We also have control over the way our food is grown (organically, water wise), and the type of food we grow (not a monoculture).
Composting is good for the planet in so many ways. For starters, did you know that 76 billion pounds of food end up in landfills every year in the United States? That’s 22% of our total waste! Composting our food scraps (and our leaves, clippings, and other garden debris) is a great way to reduce landfill-generated greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.
Using compost also has major benefits for your soil. It helps your soil retain water, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, and promotes higher crop yields by supplying the nutrients that make plants thrive. Notice how all those things are good for your wallet, too!
Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides all pose a toxic threat to garden critters. But their potential for harm goes far beyond your garden. Thanks to runoff and winds, these toxic compounds can reach our fresh and marine ecosystems, too. When excess nutrients from agricultural fertilizers reach the water, it can lead to a process known as eutrophication, which can end up killing aquatic organisms like fish and crabs.
Even if you only have a small balcony space, you can still create a beautiful pollinator haven with a hanging garden. And don’t forget the birds! You’ll be amazed at how much life a little bird house or hummingbird feeder can attract.
There are so many benefits of community gardening, including offering a space for you to try out all of the above Earth-friendly garden practices. Plus, celebrating our beautiful planet is more fun when we do it together! This Earth Day, consider writing to your local government encouraging them to dedicate space and resources to community gardens in your area.
The opportunities to celebrate Earth Day are endless, but we hope this list has given you some inspiration to get started. And of course, don’t forget that environmental stewardship isn’t just for Earth Day. You can do all of these things every day in your garden.
We’d love to see what other ideas you came up with! Show us how you celebrated Earth Day by tagging us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
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