Last Updated April 16, 2022

Earth Day is this week! Here are 50 ways you can show some love to Mother Earth.

Reduce Plastic Waste

By now, I probably don’t have to explain how big of a problem plastic pollution is for our planet. But if you need a refresher, check out Why is Plastic Bad for the Ocean? Given the extent of the problem, every little bit of plastic you avoid makes a difference! Here are some great places to start:

1. Refuse single-use plastics
2. Stop buying plastic water bottles
3. For emergency water storage buy a large FEMA approved water jug and fill it with filtered water
4. Switch to shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars instead of liquid (see post)
5. Order liquid refills at online shops that reuse their packaging (see post)
6. Switch to a bamboo toothbrush, silk floss, and DIY toothpaste (see post)
7. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where items are less likely to be packaged in plastic (see post)
8. If buying something in plastic, find the biggest bag or portion (see post)
9. Switch to loose leaf tea instead of tea bags which can release billions of microplastics into your tea when steeping (see post)
10. Buy whole ingredients instead of pre-packaged portions and meals
11. Buy natural fiber clothes, like cotton and silk, instead of synthetic materials like polyester and nylon (see post)
12. Make your own cleaning solutions instead of buying ones in plastic bottles (see post)
13. Conduct a trash audit to see where you could improve (see post)

Reduce Food Waste

It’s estimated that 40% of the food produced in the U.S. is thrown away. That’s a lot of carbon emission used to produce, ship, and package that food and almost half of it is wasted! So, doing your best to reduce food waste can go a long way in helping the planet. Here are a few tips to reduce your food waste:

1. Buy only what you need
2. Read the Use by/Sell By Dates carefully–food is usually good a week after the sell by date
3. Store foods in air-tight containers
4. Store leafy greens with the stem in a cup of water
5. Store bread in the freezer or on the counter for a few days—never in the fridge
6. Don’t let leftovers get lost in the back of the fridge
7. Compost food scraps
8. Use vegetable scraps to make stock before composting
9. Reinvent leftovers by turning them into a salad, soup, or casserole

Reduce Water Usage

We take the fact that we have ample amounts of easily accessible clean water for granted in the U.S. There are an estimated 780 million people (or about 11% of the population of Earth) who do not have access to clean water. Learning to conserve water helps us better prepare for droughts and protects our most important resource. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth
2. Put a bucket in your shower to collect water while it is warming up
3. Use the bucket of water to water plants or flush the toilet
4. Set a timer to take shorter showers
5. Wash your hair every other day instead of every day–or even less
6. Reduce the water pressure in your shower
7. Run the dishwasher and washer with full loads
8. Use a bowl of water to wash vegetables and then save the water to water plants
9. Put a brick (or other heavy waterproof object) in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used to fill the bowl
10. Put a piece of paper under the U-joint of the sink to check for leaks–if it’s wrinkled later you know there’s a leak
11. Check for spikes in the water bill–these could be due to leaks
12. Sweep the porch or driveway instead of hosing it down
13. Go to a car wash instead of washing it at home
14. Get rid of your thirsty grass and install an Ocean Friendly Garden

Reduce Energy Usage

Finally, energy usage is a large contributor to carbon emissions and climate change. The less energy you use, the better off the planet will be–plus you’ll save money too! Here are some ways to reduce your energy usage:

1. Switch to LED lightbulbs
2. Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120F.
3. Take cooler showers
4. Wash your clothes with cold water
5. Hang dry your clothes in the sun
6. Keep your appliances clean, so they run more efficiently
7. Turn the thermostat down during the winter and up during the summer
8. If it’s cold, put on a sweater or drink a warm beverage, instead of turning on the heat
9. Use an electric kettle instead of a microwave to heat up water
10. If it’s hot, turn on a fan or drink a cold drink instead of turning on the air conditioning
11. Turn off your router and cable box before going to bed
12. Unplug chargers when not in use
13. Install insulating curtains over windows
14. Air dry your dishes instead of using the dry cycle on your dishwasher

What do you think? Can you do some of these things or maybe all of these things to show some love to the planet? If you have some more suggestions, tell me in the comments!

For related and random posts, check out:

• Plastic-Free Meal Plan
• Recycling is Not the Answer