Festivities and Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
April 27, 2017
Photo Credit: Isabella Thorpe/Achona Online
The first Earth Day was launched 47 years ago to advocate for environmental protection and reform. Although it began in America, the holiday expanded to a worldwide celebration.
Living in the digital age that stimulates daily internet usage, maintaining the natural beauty of the outside world may not be a top priority. However, there are many simple ways to give back to Mother Earth, and on Earth Day, April 22, the opportunity presents itself more than usual.
As one advantage of the internet, many of the websites people find themselves spending an ample amount of time on promote a healthy environment by stocking their pages with tips and ideas for creating and preserving the attractive features of the physical world. “Saving the Earth Challenges,” set up on these internet pages, are targeted towards both the nature lovers and common people. Because not everyone has a full day to give back to the Earth, these sites provide tips to complete small acts that can have a profound impact in the long run.
“On Earth Day, my family and I made a collage of all of the natural beauties of the world and placed it on the refrigerator to remind us to always take care of the Earth,” says freshman Danielle Duarte.
Freshman Katelyn Chau and friends visited Clearwater Beach and cleaned the area by picking up wasteful items that were scattered throughout the beach; she says, “There were overwhelmingly large amounts of glass and plastic that were on the sands and in the water that we were able to get out.”
Chemistry teacher Rebecca Zambrano and her Interact Club participate in an annual Earth Day Trash Cleanup to beautify the park. Zambrano and her girls are joining other schools in the local area and schools all over the nation to advocate for a healthier, less polluted environment.
Sophomore volunteer Brielle Gentile says, “We found a turtle and multiple dogs in the woods while volunteering. It was super fun working with my friends and Ms. Z.”
This year, Zambrano encouraged sophomores and freshmen to take part in the cleanup at Picnic Island. Although very few freshmen participated, many sophomores from Zambrano’s Chemistry classes attended.
Sophomore Gloria Bufano (right) says, “To celebrate Earth Day, I went to Picnic Island with Mrs. Zambrano; we had so much fun cleaning up the Earth and it was motivating to know the impact we were leaving on the world.”
Sophomore Morgan Tata says, “The trash clean-up project we participated in was Clean Up Tampa Bay for Earth Day. Upon our arrival, we were given yellow vests and trash bags. Then, we were split up into groups and cleaned Picnic Island by picking up trash, which we took a lot of pride in because we knew our hard work positively impacted the environment.”
Although there is technically only one day of the year that focuses on keeping the Earth in good physical shape, there are many ways to instill environmentally beneficial habits into an everyday ritual. Below are a few eco-friendly ideas to incorporate into a daily routine.
1. Use reusable bags rather than plastic bags. Also, instead of lugging around water bottles and plastic cups, make it a point to BYOB (bring your own bottle) to reduce waste and easily refill.
Freshman Katelyn Chau and friends visited Clearwater Beach and cleaned the area by picking up wasteful items that were scattered throughout the beach; she says, “There were overwhelmingly large amounts of glass and plastic bags and bottles that were on the sands and in the water that we were able to get out.”
#DYK 1 plastic ? can kill numerous animals bc they take so long to break down? Remember reusable ? when you shop! ? #EarthWeek #KickPlastic pic.twitter.com/5aeK6msJAx
— WAVE Foundation (@WAVEfoundation5) April 17, 2017
2. Turn off the lights and water when they are not being used in that very moment.
3. Reduce waste by donating old clothes and other possessions to charity. Also, donate money to an organization that benefits the environment in some way, such as the Wildlife Conservation Network, World Wildlife Fund, and Greenpeace International.
Celebrate #EarthDay2017 and create a message supporting the environment! @MadeWithCode https://t.co/gAJIV9VLjG pic.twitter.com/oCxsthRGRM
— World Wildlife Fund (@World_Wildlife) April 22, 2017
4. Recycle!!!
Mckenzie Holmes, 11, says, “Recycling is great because it decreases the amount of litter and helps the environment prosper.”
5. When commuting, walk or ride a bike if the destination is around the corner; if it is a little farther, carpool to promote cleaner water and air.
