Earth Day is coming, and it’s almost like a birthday for our
planet. This is often the one day we really think about our actions and the
impact they have. So why not give the planet a gift with these efforts that
keep on giving:
Stay up-to-date
Technology has made it easy to set up your computer or
mobile device and get customized eco-news wherever you are. Load up your My Yahoo! with headlines from your favorite
green news sources. Set up your Twitter account to follow a few of your
favorite green blogs. Friend your
favorite green Facebook pages. Then share or re-tweet any story you think is
important — the green movement is all about spreading the word!
Search
for green blogs.
Follow Yahoo! Green on Twitter.
Friend Yahoo! Green on Facebook.
Add green alerts to your RSS feed.
Get in the community spirit
See what’s happening in your town and get involved. Yahoo! Groups, Facebook Groups, and Meetup.com are great online resources to find
like-minded people and green events in your area. Earth Day festivals usually bring
out associations making a difference. Go out and meet people who are also
passionate about the planet and the neighborhood they live in so you can
exchange ideas and participate in local efforts.
Your nearby farmer’s market and green boutiques are also
great places to hear what’s going on. Look to see if they provide a space for
people to leave business cards, newsletters, or fliers, or ask the owners and
sales clerks about the latest buzz. They probably also appreciate your
business, so do some shopping for your green products while you’re at it. In
this economy, supporting neighborhood business is crucial, especially those
committed to the greater good.
Search
for Earth Day events.
Find
a farmer’s market.
Search
for green boutiques.
Take a vacation
Summer is coming — are you thinking about your vacation yet?
This year, why not try something different and help the planet while on your
getaway. Try some “eco-tourism” and build a sustainably friendly itinerary
around the goal of increasing your awareness and education on environmental
issues.
The World
Wildlife Fund offers several travel opportunities to see rare and exotic
animals in their natural habitat. A number of organizations offer “volunteer
vacations” where you can help save the rainforest, work on an organic farm, or track
an endangered species to increase conservation efforts. Charity
Guide offers a list of different options.
In some cases your accommodations and meals will be covered in
exchange for your volunteer efforts. So you can save some green while going
green!
Search
for volunteer vacations.
Search
for eco-tourism ideas.
Read
about endangered vacation spots.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Make a donation
The green movement has really come into public awareness
thanks to the efforts of environmental nonprofits. These organizations run on
shoestring budgets and are managed by volunteers who frequently receive little
or no pay, yet they speak for hundreds who feel that the planet is worth
saving.
Support them by making a donation. A few organizations doing
great work include Natural Resources Defense Council, Global Green, and Polar
Bears International.
Search
for more environmental organizations.
Write a letter
On his recent book tour, Al Gore told the audience, “It’s
important to change the light bulbs and the windows; it’s a lot more important
to change the laws and policies. You have to get involved.” Set a goal to write
a letter a month, or at least every six months, to your government
representative about a policy change to help improve the environment.
Search
for your local representative.
Get tips on
how to write a letter to change government policy.
These few simple actions can make this Earth Day a success
and put you well on your way to actively keeping the planet in mind — which is
what April 22 is all about.