How to Celebrate Earth Day in 2025

Earth Day is upon us this coming April and there are so many different ways to celebrate! It's the perfect time of year to start embracing new sustainable habits, to care for the environment as a community, and to set up home gardens for new beginnings this spring. Here are just a few ideas that you could implement for Earth Day this year:

1. Do a trash audit

With 146 million tons of waste sent to U.S. landfills in 2018, there’s only so much space before our world becomes like that pictured in Disney's Wall-E. This is why changing our habits to dispose of waste in a sustainable way helps our planet immensely. One of the most efficient ways you can decrease unnecessary waste in your home is to figure out exactly what waste you are making. To conduct a trash audit, all you need to do is keep a slip of paper above each trash can in your house for about a week. Make a note each time you throw something away, and at the end of the week review the list to see what changes you can make. Maybe you could be better about sorting your waste and recycling what should be recycled, or maybe you could look into using less paper products by switching to reusable napkins.

2. Participate in a litter clean up

This could be one arranged by the city, or simply just you and some friends! All you need is some gloves, a trash bag, and a tool to pick up the litter. Litter-picking could be a fun activity to do in a classroom or office setting (as long as safety is taken into consideration). Make it into a contest to see how much trash each team cleans up, or have the class try to reach a collective goal for a prize. Maybe students get to pick out a native tree to plant on school property!

3. Pick up an eco-read

Hearing what others have to say about nature, environmentalism, and sustainability is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Check out these inspirational reads that encourage people to reconnect with nature: "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, "Entangled Life" by Merlin Sheldrake, "Nature’s Best Hope" by Douglas W. Tallamy, "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, "The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate" by Peter Wohlleben, and "A Life on Our Planet" by David Attenborough.

4. Find out what animals are endangered in your region

The best way to advocate for the wildlife near your home is to know which animals need help the most. In Pennsylvania right now 52 animals are listed as endangered species. Knowing what animals you can actively help gives direction to activism. For example, did you know that the great egret is considered endangered in Pennsylvania, and the only known populations in the state are in York and Dauphin County? Their numbers originally decreased due to hunting, but are suffering now because of dams, water pollution, and human disturbance. Unfortunately, the biggest source of forever chemicals polluting York County waterways come directly from the landfill. Anything we can do to reduce our waste will be helping these endangered birds.

5. Get outside!

The best way to help nature is to appreciate it. Understanding and appreciating the natural world will help fuel your enthusiasm to help it more.

"I wonder if much that ails our society stems from the fact that we have allowed ourselves to be cut off from that love of, and from, the land."

- Robin Wall Kimmerer in "Braiding Sweetgrass"

Most of us who love the outdoors have that one special childhood memory of being at a picnic or catching a cool bug. There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t still make these memories. Maybe invest in a moth light to see what moths live outside your home, or take a trip to the nearest state park. In Pennsylvania, great places to visit include Pine Creek Gorge, otherwise known as the “Pennsylvania Grand Canyon,” or Cherry Springs for fantastic stargazing.

6. Make your garden more pollinator-friendly

In short, native plants attract native wildlife. The combination of the two enhances native ecosystems. If your yard is solely made up of a grass lawn and ornamental, foreign plants, then it is practically a biodiversity desert. Try filling your yard with more native species. This will help native pollinators like bees, birds, and other insects find the food and shelter they need to survive. All of this is covered extensively in "Nature's Best Hope" by Douglas Tallamy. You can actually have your yard certified as a native habitat by The National Wildlife Federation as a way to ensure the best habitat for local wildlife.

Concluding thoughts

Earth Day brings around a time of year when we can intentionally give back to the earth that sustains us. We hope this list encourages you to go out and say "thank you" to our planet, and reconnect with the nature in your own backyard. If you try out any of these ideas make sure to let us know how it went in the blog's comment section, or tag us through social media! And of course, always feel free to contact us about any questions regarding sustainable living and the environment. Keep on reducing, reusing, recycling, and refilling - it really does make a difference!

References:

Great Egret. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/discover-pa-wildlife/herons/great-egret.html#accordion-1b0c06daaa-item-aa2cf27ef6

National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes, and Recycling. United States Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials#Trends1960-Today

R, McDevitt. York County creek worst in the country for PFAS pollution, study says. State Impact, NPR. https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2022/10/21/york-county-creek-worst-in-the-country-for-pfas-pollution-study-says/

Endangered and Threatened Species. Game Commission: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/discover-pa-wildlife/endangered-and-threatened.html

Threatened and Endangered Species. Fish and Boat Commission: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/conservation/threatened-and-endangered-species.html

How to Turn Your Garden or Yard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Chirp Nature Centres. https://chirpforbirds.com/miscellaneous/how-to-turn-your-garden-or-yard-into-a-certified-wildlife-habitat/?srsltid=AfmBOorSAC0Af1McruiyM-qVGeiBCreRhXuUYi2yxDbNh91h3DZOv-ZY