50 Acts of Green
This Earth Day, we want to take the legacy of Senator Gaylord Nelson forward and continue the work of doing what you can, right here, right now, to help protect and restore our natural environment. To encourage this, we've come up with a list of 50+ items that you can do that promotes a healthy environment. If you are able to do 15 of these things over the next 50 days, post pictures of your participation to our Facebook page, and your name will be entered into a drawing for $50 in gift certificates to local businesses.
1. Pick up trash
2. Grow food
3. Plant a butterfly garden
4. Reduce lawn size
5. Walk or ride bike more/drive less
6. Use cloth napkins in place of paper
7. Plant a tree
8. Buy an electric or hybrid
9. Reduce meat portions
10. Use windows instead of air conditioning
11. Consume less
12. Travel less
13. Use natural pesticides
14. Use metal straws
15. Meatless Monday (or any day of the week)
16. Make a rain barrel
17. Purchased gently used merchandise
18. Compost
19. Switch to Green Power if your energy provider offers it
20. No single use plastic
21. Try a staycation for your next vacation
22. Reduce your Foodprint
23. Shop local farmer’s markets
24. Buy in-season produce
25. Take your own coffee cup when out and about
26. Turn off water when brushing your teeth
27. Reusable water bottles
28. Buy in bulk
29. Re-use jars for food storage
30. Replace ziplock bags with reusable bees wax food wraps
31. Use purchasing power by supporting companies committed to sustainability
32. Compost kitchen scraps
33. Recycle
34. Use an energy calculator to see what changes you could make
35. Cut grass at a higher length
36. Turn down thermostat
37. Compost yard debris
38. Use re-usable shopping bags
39. More reading and playing games/less television and computers
40. Solar power
41. Advocate for your school/company to serve more plant-based meals
42. Vote for candidates that make climate and environment a priority
43. Use thoughtful purchasing to minimize waste
44. Take your own bags to the farmer’s market
45. Use bar soap and shampoo
46. Make a rain garden to control run-off
47. Reduce or eliminate herbicide use
48. Install solar panels
49. Plant a pollinator garden
50. Host a Plastic-free day at work/school
51. Buy energy efficient appliances
52. Recycle old appliances at a recycling facility that uses the best environmental practices and technologies available.
If you have other ideas, submit them to our Facebook post! We'll keep updating this list with your great ideas to share them with our larger community!