As the World Turns

It's Earth Day. Amazingly, not a recognized (ie. we don't get the day off) holiday but I'm sure Hallmark sells a card that plays some sort of tune. People like Leonardo DiCaprio and David Suzuki (Canadian guy...) live their lives like every day is earth day and perhaps having that little extra cash makes it that much easier. I was thinking about that as I was getting ready to write this as money seems to be the biggest answer (or lack of) to why people don't do more for the environment. I'm not thinking that everyone has to run out and plant a dozen trees in their yard or has to trade in their car for a Prius but there has to be little things that make us more "Earth Friendly". I watched Wall-E. It scared the crap out of me. Yes, it was cute and endearing but seriously, can't you just see the world becoming filled with crap in the next 10 years, if not sooner? So, I made a little list of things that I could do to help save this earth we call home....you know, besides recycling (which I do already).

1. Start composting - easy peasey lemon squeezey... get a bin. drill holes. buy worms. fill bin with worms, food scraps and paper. Voila, compost. Easy to follow instructions are provided by Wendy Tremane here. My friend Stacy already does this and I wanted to try it. Done. Put a check next to this one. Seriously, sooo easy and the kids love the worms. If you're feeling more energetic (more power to you) you could always purchase a composter, not cheap but the capacity is probably greater.

2. Find something to do with all those plastic bags from the grocery store. I know, I shouldn't have that many because smart people carry reusable bags with them and don't need the plastic ones. Unfortunately for me, I'm an idiot. I've got the darn things in my car and so many times I get inside the store and start shopping and realize I've left the bags IN THE CAR. Usually, I'm shopping with E and I'm sooo not running back out to the car to get the bags. Luckily, there are tons of things you can do with plastic bags. You could make yarn or make a wreath (I don't have pictures for this but my mom used to make these in scouts - cut 3 inch strips and tie around a wire coat hanger pulled out in a circle. Keep tying strips until you can't anymore and there you go - a wreath). Make articles of clothing and/or accessories... tons of things - try googling "what to do with plastic grocery bags".

3. Go see Disney's' Earth between April 22-28 and Disney will plant a tree in Brazil's Atlantic Rain forest. This one is easy! I went with S (he's 6) and be forewarned, this IS a nature movie. Things die. It's not overly pleasant in certain parts we covered our heads and cried. Sad, but pretty true to life.

I'm sure there are tons more but I have to start somewhere. It's hard to change over night or even within a year but little by little I'd love to start being more eco-friendly. In the April 2009 issue of Canadian Living there's an article on a family that gave up "stuff" completely for a month... sound easy? Try it and let me know how it goes!