Wednesday, April 22 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many plans for the annual environmental event, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the occasion and care for our planet from home.
We’ve rounded up 50 things people can do while social distancing to reduce your ecological footprint, combat climate change, and foster greater awareness and appreciation for the planet ― both on Earth Day and throughout the year.
Switch to a green energy provider.
Plant a tree in your yard.
Pay an organization to plant trees elsewhere.
Support sustainable clothing brands.
Calculate and offset your carbon footprint.
Sign up for emails from environmental organizations like 350.org, National Resource Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy and The Sierra Club.
Start composting in your yard or home.
Cook plant-based meals.
Participate in the Earth Day Network’s digital 24 hours of action event.
Contact your elected representatives to ask them to take action on climate change and environmental protection.
Make donations to local, state, national and global environmental organizations.
Tune in to the American Museum of Natural History’s virtual EarthFest.
Pick up litter in your neighborhood (while following safety precautions).
Create an organized home recycling system.
Host a virtual celebration and ask guests to donate to their preferred environmental organization.
Watch nature documentaries like “Planet Earth,” “March of the Penguins” and “Our Planet.”
Take a shorter shower than usual ― and commit to doing this more often.
Purchase groceries with sustainability in mind.
Contribute to Earth Challenge 2020′s environmental data collection efforts.
Make art using recycled materials.
Travel virtually to explore and admire beautiful landscapes around the world.
Read books about environmentalism and climate change.
Go for a walk outside in nature.
Make a bird feeder from household items.
Watch educational programming about environmentalism.
Start growing your own herbs.
Follow eco-conscious Instagram accounts.
Participate in a virtual rally.
Read environmentally focused children’s books to your kids.
Repurpose old clothes you were planning to toss.
Order from a local plant-based restaurants.
Watch animals on your local zoo’s livestream.
Unplug electronics when they aren’t in use.
Volunteer for a political campaign for a candidate with an environmental policy platform you support.
Create a “plastic swear jar.”
Register for One Earth Film Festival’s virtual mini-fest or The Earth Day Film Fest’s “Global Selection” screenings.
Invest in eco-friendly household products.
Learn about birding.
Teach your children about the planet and environmentalism.
Bring plants into your home.
Switch to paperless bank statements and other bills.
Launch a Facebook fundraiser for an environmental organization.
Make your own cleaning products.
Listen to eco-focused podcasts like “Living on Earth,” “Sea Change Radio” and “Sustainababble.”
Repurpose your food scraps.
Plant a bee garden.
Do a little stargazing.
Make an Earth Day window sign.
Post what you’re doing to support the environment on Earth Day on social media and encourage people your networks to take similar steps.
