Every year on April 22, the global population comes together to celebrate the Earth, usually in the form of planting some trees or picking up some trash. This day sparks conversations globally about how we can do better to further conserve our planet, including talks about recycling, saving water, reducing air pollution and much more. 

This day has done a lot for climate change. It started out in 1970 and, by the end of the year, a list of climate conservation acts were passed in Congress, including the Clean Air Act, which set limits on air pollutants, beginning to protect people from respiratory diseases that stem from air pollution. While Earth Day has most recently been a day full of volunteer work, the newer generations may feel like that work is not doing enough. 

So, for this Earth Day, I encourage you to think outside of the biodegradable box and put your green thumb forward into actions with a long-lasting impact. Here’s how you can help: 

#1 Contact government officials, local and in Washington

Yes, this is such a typical step for change, but it helps! Having consistent messages to government officials shows that citizens care about the policies, as well as helping them understand how their vote will affect their county, state or even country. Fill their inboxes and mailboxes with requests to pass more climate conservation laws. 

#2 Change your style

Buying clothes isn’t something we typically consider to be harmful to the environment, but as society moves towards buying more from fast fashion, it is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. Fast fashion is made and sold cheap, and the production of them releases dyes into our water. 

Throwing away clothes or buying new clothes once one gets a rip is doing just as much harm as buying fast fashion, just in different ways. Most clothes end up in the landfill after you throw them away, and as they degrade they release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, a big cause of global warming. Instead of throwing away clothes when they get ripped, learn how to sew and mend clothes, or donate them to local thrift stores. This Earth Day you can even start a monthly clothing drive in your local area or high school, promoting people to donate instead of dispose. 

#3 Shop locally

This is something else we don’t really consider when we think about climate activism, however, it can have a huge impact. Buying locally not only helps small businesses and business owners, but it also lowers emissions from transportation, reducing miles transported by 26 percent. Especially when buying local food, you’re getting fresher products – meaning higher quality – as well as helping out your local farmers. Shopping locally also helps get rid of extra packaging usually needed for shipping!

#4 Start a community garden

Get together with people in your neighborhood, larger community or, with permission, your school to start a community garden. This garden could have hundreds of different benefits such as aesthetics, food production and connecting your community, but it also helps combat local water pollution and can help reduce waste. 

Planting extra plants, and taking care of them, will help absorb runoff, filtering any water pollution that may run into rivers and lakes. Additionally, this garden could help reduce local food waste by using a composter to help fertilize the plants. There are even specific gardens you can make to support the pollinators!

#5 Overall education

This list is a great way to get started on your climate conservation starting this Earth Day but there’s no better way to be an activist than by learning and doing your research. This is a great way to learn more about what you can do to help and a great way to start ideas of your own. There are hundreds of resources on the internet from help with understanding climate change all the way to what teenagers can do to help. 

The Earth is a beautiful place to live, and, after all, there is no Planet B. Make a long-lasting impact this Earth Day by continuing to love and care for the planet every single day, not just on April 22.