This year’s Earth Day theme is Our Power, Our Planet. You can invest time, energy, resources or funds to make our global environment better. For these days until Earth Day spread the word and as MJ says: Make That Change. Here’s a list to make the greatest positive impact on our globe. Some you can do from your couch.

• Research Your Food. Of coarse, this first one is a couchable act. Pull 5 items you normally buy. Then look up the manufacturer for earth friendly practices. If they are being sued for unsafe disposal or employee unfairness – Change Brands!
• Start Recycling. Most people support recycling, but do you really DO it? The EPA reported on November 2020 only 32% of Americans recycle. A couchable approach is to find out online exactly what your local trash collector accepts in that recyclable bin. You may be amazed.
• Recycle More. If you are in USA’s 32% that is doing the deed – Do more. Don’t throw away that can or bottle because of food residue. Put it in the dishwasher, then throw in recycle bin. More items are recyclable now than before. Research new ways to reuse/recycle and find out what else you can put in that bin.
• Research Your Trash. Since we’re on the subject, where does your trash end up? Yes, this too can be done from your couch. Check out what happens when trash leaves your home by going to company website. Some waste haulers changed tactics as China refused plastic disposal. Where does your local hauler dump, burn or bury?
• Minimize Plastic Waste. Each year over 8 million metric tons of plastic is dumped in oceans. Microplastic particles are endangering marine life. Check out Earth Day Network to find other ways you can help.
• Buy Less Packaging. Buy bulk product or choose option that have just the bare minimum non-recyclable packaging. The more packaging you buy the more you need to throw away. That leads to the next action.
• Avoid individually wrapped ANYTHING. It may have made lunch or travel packing easier but is all that wrapping really useful. If it was for meals, consider investing in a reusable bento box with compartments for food items. If it was for travel, washable travel bags also have easy access easy clean compartments.
• Voice a Complaint. Do it from your couch. Call and complain about local users of take-out styrofoam containers. Ask manager to change to paper or cardboard take-out options. Call back to see if they took action and praise any positive change.
• Praise Positive Earth Action.
• Start a Vegetable Garden. No need for access to open land – use containers. Grow your veggies indoors near a sunny window. Plant only what you will really eat. Change garden plants each season to have fresh food all year long.
• Create a Community Garden. Call your neighbors to share ideas, seeds, produce and more from doorstep to doorstep.
• Start a Compost Pile/Bin. A handy addition to any garden, compost can help fertilize what you grow. Also compost is cheaper than store bought fertilizer that may contain unsavory additions to your local earth.
• Change Toothbrush/Hairbrush to natural or recycled products. Sadly, these items are still packaged in plastic when newly purchased but it is a start.
• Use Biodegradable Cleaning Products. Read labels of cleaners you now have for kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Is it safe for you, your children, our Earth? Some simple items are extremely effective cleaners such as vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, citrus and thyme. Check out products by Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation, Simple Green, Method, JR Watkins, ECOS and others.
• Spay/Neuter Your Pets. Also Trap-Neuter-Return wild community cats for humane care of overpopulation. Feral cats pose biodiversity challenges globally. Nearly 100 MILLION feral, formerly domestic, cats live in the US. Feral cats usually die from starvation, contagious disease or injury. Help them. #DoGood.
• Join a Clean Up Day. Find a local group or government sponsored effort to clean you region. Volunteer to start small by taking the family out to clean up your block.
• Start a Cleanup Day. Start a clean up of your neighborhood or a nearby road or highway. Remember Earth Day is Everyday add your clean up to EarthDay.org map
• Look B4U Buy. Check where clothes, housewares and other purchases are made. When shopping online, a couchable act, do a little digging. Find out what the items are made from before purchase. Buy clothing for long term, not one time use. If it is not from a sustainable source don’t buy it.
• Eat Local. This may seem an odd for Earth act, but it decreases travel pollution and packaging needs. Plus it supports your neighbors and your community. Win-Win.
• Join a local Buy Nothing group. Another way to reuse, recycle and minimize consumer culture.
• Consciously Buy Food. Find items that are sustainable. Look for labels that state Fair Trade, Rainforest Certified, Dolphin Safe, etc.
• Plant/Care for a Tree. Trees help minimize carbon pollution. Guardians Around The Earth and nonprofits like us offer ongoing tree support. GATE works toward Central California reforestation through reseeding locally sourced tree seeds. Donate to our efforts here. Also larger nonprofits like Arbor Day Foundation, One Tree Planted, Trees for the Future and others help reforest our Earth one tree at a time.
• Donate Time/Funds. Donate your volunteer time or monetary contribution to an Earth friendly nonprofit right now. Give to us at Guardians Around The Earth. Give to others – search online to find an organization you love. Every donation is greatly appreciated.

Share what action you take to conserve Earth. Tell a friend. Post a comment. Share on our Facebook page. Whatever action you do our Earth will be better for it.