April 22, 2015 marks the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day.  Will you take part in an “Act of Green” on Earth Day?  An Act of Green is something simple or complex that you do for the environment.  It can be done specifically on Earth Day or be a habit that you start in celebration of Earth Day.  Why wait until Earth Day?  Maybe there is something you will make a habit of doing and have worked at consistently in April so that by the time April 22nd arrives you can say, “I am doing {blank} for Earth Day.”  Go ahead.  Make the commitment now.  What comes to mind when you think of Earth Day?

Are there new ways you can implement the 3R’s of reduce, reuse, and recycle?  We often think of recycling and most counties have a recycling program where they collect your plastics, aluminum, metal cans, newspapers, and cardboard boxes.  If you are already involved in the county recycling program, contact them to find out what more you can recycle.  To reduce your waste you can buy more bulk products when you go grocery shopping.  Less packaging means less waste.  And can you do something with the packaging besides throwing it away?  Packaging material such as egg cartons, milk jugs, and paper towel roles can be used in crafts.  Or consider reusing your coffee cans and butter containers to hold pens or other items.

What more can you do to conserve water and energy?  If you own your home and have not had an energy audit, contact your local electric management company to see how you can save energy.  You might be surprised at how much energy you can save by unplugging unused cords at your home and office.  Have you changed your light bulbs to the more efficient LED bulbs?  If you are looking for a project to do this Earth Day, consider building a birdhouse for that tree in your backyard, setting up a compost bin for organic waste, or getting a rain barrel to collect rainwater to use for watering plants during dryer periods.

There are numerous ways to think “green”.  Besides developing a personal habit to be more green or working on a project to conserve water and energy, you can build your own awareness about climate change and the environment through education.  Join a local cooperative program to get local, organic produce throughout the summer; there is a lot you can learn about cooperative gardens.  Extend your knowledge about plants by finding more native species to grow in your garden.  And share with others your commitment to be green.  If you want to take the lead, consider organizing a group to pick up trash within the neighborhood or along a nearby stream.  No matter what you choose to do to be green this Earth Day, remember to have fun.