Sustainable Ways to Honor the Earth on Earth Day 2023
Spring is around the corner, and with spring comes one of our favorite days: Earth Day! Earth Day falls on April 22nd this year. And it’s a perfect time to not only celebrate and honor this beautiful planet that we get to call home but also to reevaluate our relationship with Earth and how we can bring more eco-friendly and sustainable practices into our lives. Here at Lands’ End, we are always seeking new and innovative ways to incorporate more sustainable and earth-friendly practices into our business and industry. Here are some of the ways we will be bringing more sustainability into our lives to honor Earth Day in 2023.
Start a Garden
If you live on a piece of land, perhaps this is the year to start a garden. A fundamental aspect of bringing more sustainability into our lives is to find ways to strengthen our local food economy. That way, we don’t have to import everything we eat. While this doesn’t mean we must all live a homesteader’s or farmer’s life, it is about finding ways to incorporate more local and sustainable food practices and, as a result, frequenting the grocery store a little bit less. Growing your own food can be as simple as caring for potted tomatoes on your window sill or as intricate as turning your backyard into a food-producing garden space. This year for Earth Day, put on an old pair of comfy jeans and break ground for your new veggie patch. If you don’t have land of your own, look out for community gardens that you can join or explore patio or balcony gardens where you can grow some of your favorite veggies and herbs. This is also a great way to get the kids involved with Earth Day and teach them to have a healthy relationship with the land and Earth. We bet that once you taste a freshly picked home-grown tomato, you’ll never go back to store-bought ever again!
Ditch the Plastic
Plastic is everywhere and is everything. Not only is plastic toxic for our bodies and bad for the environment, but it is also a part of our dependence on petroleum companies that continue to damage our Earth, environment, and ecosystems. Avoiding plastic can make a significant difference and also means stepping away from toxic petrochemicals, pollution, and the companies that contribute to environmental degradation. While cutting out plastic entirely is a massive commitment and often impractical, you can start small. One great way to reduce the amount of plastic in your life is to swap plastic water bottles for reusable ones and plastic shopping bags for reusable canvas grocery bags. You could also try to switch from buying from overly packaged products to sustainably packaged products. Another easy way to invite more sustainability into your life for Earth Day this year is to drop plastic toothbrushes for biodegradable bamboo ones. Make it a commitment this Earth Day to leave plastic behind and choose reusable and biodegradable options where possible.
Another place plastic is prevalent is in our clothing. Every time we wash clothes that are made from synthetic materials and petrochemicals, we leak microplastics into the Earth and waterways. Similarly, wearing plastic or sleeping in plastic puts more toxicity in our bodies. Ditch polyester and opt for natural fibers instead. Cotton and linen sheet sets are more sustainable options that are better for you and the Earth. Similarly, swap polyester and other synthetic fibers in your clothing for natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, and bamboo.
Get Outside
While getting outside isn’t exactly a practice in sustainability, it is a good habit to get into that cultivates a healthy relationship with nature and Earth that can inspire more sustainable practices in your life. Pack the backpack and take the family on a hike or camping trip, go to a local park or botanical garden, or do some nature adventures or tourism that will help you form a closer connection to Earth. Setting this intention for a new habit this Earth Day is a wonderful way to honor Earth and bring more nature into your life.
Start a Compost Pile
One of the worst things to throw in the trash is ironically biodegradable items such as food scraps. This is because putting these things in landfills traps more heat and releases more greenhouse gases than they would otherwise if allowed to biodegrade naturally. This Earth Day, consider starting a compost pile. Not only will this lessen your waste significantly, but if you have a garden, it’s a great way to make your own fertilizer to nourish your plants. There are many convenient and creative ways to create your own compost pile and dispose of your food scraps. You might even be able to donate them to a local farm.
Try a Plant-Based Diet
Honor the Earth this Earth Day by trying to go plant-based. Make an effort to avoid animal products that have been industry farmed or that come from far away. Plant-based diets are not just good for your health. They are also a good way to lower your carbon footprint. Much of the world’s deforestation happens because of the meat and dairy industry. So this Earth Day, try making it a new sustainable habit to bring fewer animal products and more plant-based food into your life. Perhaps start with meat only on the weekends or commit to going plant-based for a few days a week. If you’re very dedicated to animal products, also try sourcing your meat and dairy from local or sustainably produced farms that have a lower carbon footprint. Your body and the Earth will be grateful!
This Earth Day, try to bring some more sustainability into your life as a way to honor our beautiful planet Earth in 2023.