Health & Society

How to Celebrate Earth Day from Home

Tuesday, April 21, 2020, By Meg Lowe

While we all work together by staying apart, Sustainability Management and the Office of Engagement Programs at Hendricks Chapel are challenging students, faculty and staff to participate in the 50th anniversary of Earth Day from wherever you may be on Wednesday, April 22.

Quarantined and curious about what you can do to celebrate the Earth in all its glory? One way is to show your Orange spirit by wearing orange, practice social distancing, and posting your hard work on social media with the hashtag #CUSEEarthDay.

And there’s more. Check out these ideas, many of which are easy to do while at home:

  • Go for a walk (be sure to check local safety recommendations pertaining to COVID-19) and bring a trash bag! Clean up as you exercise and aim to collect one bag of trash (or more) along the way.
  • Support your local restaurants by purchasing to-go meals once a week, if you’re able.
  • Turn off your lights if you’re not in a room.
  • Go vegetarian/meat free for the day, week, month or however long you choose.
  • Get organized: create donation stations within your house while doing spring cleaning. Keep the items until you are able to donate to a local organization or sell online.
  • Create a compost bin in your yard. Turn all your food scraps and yard trimmings into nourishment for a garden. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers tips on how to compost at home.
  • Plan a garden. This is the perfect time to grow seeds and start a home garden. And by growing your own food, you may save some trips to the grocery store. Cornell University offers handy guides on how to grow vegetables and flowers, as we all as advice on how to design a flower garden.
  • Participate in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) with a local farm in your area. It’s a great way to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a searchable directory of CSAs.
  • Build a bat house or bee boutique to support pollinators out of spare materials available at home. The National Wildlife Federation offers bat house directions. And there are simple instructions on how to create a bee hotel.
  • Advocate for change. The theme of Earth Day this year is “Climate Activism!” Organizations such as the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) in New York state—and others like it in states across the country, as well as in many other countries—can help with informing, organizing and communicating with elected officials.
  • Pledge to Vote Earth.
  • Donate to a local food pantry, such as the Food Bank of Central New York. Or to support students still on campus, you could contribute to the Hendricks Chapel pantry, directly or via Amazon.
  • Make art out of recycled materials. Become an Artist for the Earth.
  • Attend the Netflix Party co-sponsored by Sustainability Management and NYPIRG on Wednesday, April 22, at 8 p.m. Download the Chrome extension at netflixparty.com/. Check out @SustainableSU on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at 7:45 p.m. for the link to join. Activate the Netflix extension by clicking the “NP” to join the chat and watch in sync.