Make Everyday Earth Day With These 50 Daily Actions

In the 1960s, Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, was deeply worried about the environment. When he saw the devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969, he knew he had to act.

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He planned to harness the power of student anti-war protests (against the Vietnam War) and combine it with raising pollution awareness. He announced a teach-in on college campuses, alongside Pete McCloskey, a Republican Congressman who also cared about conservation.

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Together, they hired activist Denis Hayes to organize these teach-ins on campuses. They scheduled these teach-ins for April 22, a weekday falling between spring break and final exams, to get as many students involved as possible.

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Hayes saw the potential in these events to motivate all Americans and formed a team to promote these events across the nation. They gave it a catchy name: Earth Day. This grabbed the media's attention, inspiring 20 million Americans – a whole 10% of the population that time– to protest against the harmful effects of industrial development.

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And it didn't stop there. The first Earth Day in 1970 led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of crucial environmental laws.

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On April 22, 2024, we are celebrating the 54th anniversary of Earth Day. This day serves as a reminder of the commitment we must all make to live sustainably and protect our planet.

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To help you live a more conscious and sustainable life, we have compiled a list of 50 actionable steps that each of us can take:

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1. Eat more plant-based food
2. Buy seasonal produce
3. Grow your food
4. Start composting
5. Secondhand clothing
6. Secondhand furniture
7. Mend your clothes
8. Borrow instead of buy
9. Buy less
10. Buy from sustainable brands
11. Be a sustainable pet parent
12. Purge unnecessary subscriptions
13. Offset your emissions
14. Adjust your thermostat
15. Eco-friendly laundry
16. Adjust the thermostat
17. Insulate your home
18. Install solar
19. Opt into renewable energy
20. Switch to off-peak electricity
21. Book more efficient flights
22. Skip a flight
23. Walk, Bike, & take public transit
24. Green your bank
25. Green your 401k
26. Low-carbon crypto
27. Use off-peak electricity
28. Install a heat pump
29. Reduce standby power
30. Upgrade to LED / efficient bulbs
31. Use a smart thermostat
32. Install low-flow showerhead
33. Install smart metering in your home
34. Upgrade to a hybrid or electric car
35. Work from home an extra day / switch to WFH
36. Green your roof
37. Switch to Uber Green where possible instead of Uber
38. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
39. Install an energy-use monitor
40. Upgrade to a more efficient cookstove
41. Upgrade to a more energy-efficient home heating system
42. Install eco-friendly windows
43. Shift to carpooling or ridesharing
44. Buy more energy-efficient devices
45. Stay in home shares instead of hotels
46. Recycle more of your waste (correctly)
47. Green your other investments
48. Green your loans
49. Move closer to work
50. Switch your career to climate

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