When the entire planet ground to a halt in March 2020 as the pandemic started to unfold, our planet seemed to breath a sigh of relief. Numerous countries around the world reported lower greenhouse gas emissions during that time due to a reduction in business and travel. 

But as the world goes back to normal, will we make any lasting changes to help save our planet or will we go back to our old ways?

A recent study examined whether COVID-19 was likely to have a long-term impact on global emissions. The researchers concluded that the effect would be negligible beyond 2030, unless nations recommit to halting climate change in a serious way.

But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to make a difference. Every small green act counts! In honor of Earth Day, here are 12 simple ways you can help restore the Earth every day:

 

Easy tips and actions to help save our planet

1. Carry a reusable shopping bag

We use an estimated four trillion plastic bags around the world every year, and each bag takes up to 1000 years to decompose in a landfill. Yikes! Keeping reusable shopping bags in your handbag or car can make a huge difference.

 

2. Go meatless on Mondays

Meatless Monday is a campaign that encourages people to eat plant-based meals once a week to reduce their carbon footprint. Here’s a selection of mouthwatering, meat-free recipes to get you started.

 

3. Get into plogging

What’s plogging? It’s picking up trash while jogging! You’ll get a double whammy of endorphins knowing that you helped the planet while you were working out. You can even organize a plogging event in your area by signing up here.

 

4. Unsubscribe to paper catalogs

It only takes a few minutes to email a company to ask them to stop sending you catalogs via snail mail. Better yet, sign up to Catalog Choice for free and they’ll cancel all the catalogs and other types of paper mail you don’t want anymore. Genius!

 

5. Carry reusable cutlery

Plastic cutlery is a major source of plastic pollution. By committing to carrying your own set of cutlery with you (and even a stainless-steel straw), you’ll make an important difference.

 

6. Let your kids choose their own Act of Green

Ask your kids to think of a way they can help the planet. It can be something as simple as taking out the recycling or planting a tree in the backyard. When they’re done, submit their Act of Green on the Earth Day website and check the Billion Acts of Green Counter regularly to watch it go up as more Acts of Green are submitted. 

 

7. Get into (easy) gardening

Introduce children to the joys of gardening with minimal effort, thanks to the My First Garden Kit. It contains everything you need to grow herbs and veggies in your climate and only requires minimal space and assembly. It’s foolproof!

 

8. Say no to pesticides in your garden

Eliminating harmful pesticides in your garden will help protect pollinators (bees and butterflies) that are essential for food production and our survival. You can take the Pesticide Pledge here.

 

9. Ride your bike

Encourage the whole family to ride their bikes to work or school as often as possible to reduce emissions. You can even add each trip to the Acts of Green tally.

 

10. Practice sustainable fashion

Buy clothing brands that use sustainable fabrics such as our very own HART + LAND and get into thrift shopping (you’ll be amazed at the gems you can find!). When you’re done with your clothes, donate them to charity or pass them on to friends and family to give them a second life.

 

11. Take shorter showers

Challenge your family to five-minute (or less) showers! If it’s too hard to stick to them every day, choose certain days of the week for your speedy washes. Set a fun alarm to let your kids know when the time is up.

 

12. Use non-toxic cleaning products

Avoid polluting our waterways with toxic chemicals by choosing natural cleaning products like the Healthynest Cleaning Systems or making your own.

 

You don’t have to make drastic changes to help save the planet. Small actions can make a big difference, so choose five of the tips above and commit to them for 30 days. You’ll probably find that they’ve become a habit by the end of the month and your family will want to stick to them.

The family that goes green together stays together!