Five ways to celebrate earth Day zero waste style

Filed in Blog by on April 15, 2009 15 Comments
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earth-dayOk folks; we have a few days left until Earth Day – our opportunity to do something good for the earth. What better way to combine Earth Day with some zero waste goodness?

I thought it might be fun for us to come up with a list of Earth Day celebrations that tick all the boxes for creating zero waste too. What do you think?

Here are five suggestions from me and I look forward to reading yours!

  • Make a morsbag from some old bed linen or clothes
  • Seed or plant swap with your neighbours
  • Organise a clothes, toys or tools swap party
  • Make a meal from leftovers
  • Email your MP about whichever environmental issue you feel strongly about

Over to you! What are your ideas for a zero waste Earth Day celebration?

About the Author ()

I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

Comments (15)

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  1. Sarah says:

    Plant something special in your garden.
    Create a living garden.
    Help clean up a local green space, like a park.
    Swap a book with a friend – that way you both get something new to read. If it’s a favourite don;t forget to ask for it to be returned!
    Do some guerrilla gardening! Plant some wild flowers or herbs along the roadside or in a public place!

  2. John Costigane says:

    Mrs Green,

    For Earth Day (and Zero Waste) my choices are:

    1. Use no electricity for the day – batteries excepted.

    2. Have a garden day, all day – weather permitting.

    3. Avoid the car, and shopping – difficult.

    4. Read a book – difficult.

    5. Have no negative thoughts, about supermarkets – very, very difficult.

  3. Poppy says:

    @John Costigane:

    I presume you meant Rechargable batteries John 😉

  4. John Costigane says:

    @Poppy: @Poppy: I only ever use rechargables, Poppy. This will include clocks, weighing machines and a gas lighter. I will avoid the computer one to remove media pollution for the day.

  5. Mrs Green says:

    Loving your ideas, folks. Planting something special and pretty just for the sake of it is great. I know people talk of putting space over to food (something useful) but we need beauty for the soul.

    You have set yourself a challenge there, John. I think you will cope well 🙂 But it means you won’t be online for a day. I think we should all take an internet break 🙂

  6. John Costigane says:

    Too right, Mrs Green. The whole idea is to get closer to nature, but I will keep the clothes on as its too cold. It should be quite straightforward and a good of weather will be ideal.

    The National Zero Waste Day, in Spetember, could become a big annual event with chosen activities to celebrate the sustainable lifestyle. An idea for that could be mass supermarket visit to raise a noise.

    I feel like doing that soon after the teabag nonsense. Where is the sense in adding packaging to teabags? It is merely a desperate attempt to trumpet the Courtauld Agreement which is irrelevant to Zero Wasters like us.

    Eddie said she will pop in tomorrow on a day off and Mr Neurosis might be there too. He is a real Reuse Nut and could do with some contacts for community reuse events. Two good additions to the trend. Here is definitely the best place for them to start.

  7. Carole Blake says:

    @John Costigane: John, I have at least one negative thought about a supermarket (Tesco is my favourite non-favourite) every day. I’m going to have to come up with something else!!!

    Carole

  8. Carole Blake says:

    @John Costigane: ..and again, keeping your clothes on in Scotland is the only option for most of the year. I know this, having been brought up near Loch Lomond until I was 20 when I moved as far south as I could. Aye, I’m a Scottish refugee.

    Carole

  9. John Costigane says:

    @Carole Blake: Carole, Loch Lomond is a beautiful place. I am town raised, in Johnstone. The backdoor is a suntrap and it gets really warm.

    Seaside naturists are common enough nowadays.

  10. VegBoxClara says:

    Brill list, Mrs S.

    I am moving house tomorrow, so will be in my new street (which is actually my old street – long story!). Perfect opportunity to combine Earth Day activity with re-connecting with neighbours… As you know, I’ll be either sharing seasonal food snacks or giving away spinach seedlings. Waiting until tomorrow when all the votes have been cast.

    Your list has inspired me to think about adding some books and cloths and ornaments to the table for neighbours to help themselves to / swap with.

    I DON’T think I’ll be brave enough to do it nekked though, John and Carole!

  11. VegBoxClara says:

    Ooh just read this:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8001553.stm

    I think I might go back to an old favourite activity… Putting a sticker on the front of a book that I’m done with saying “Please take me, read me, pass me on” and then leaving it in a coffee shop, on a train or on the bus…

    Definitely an Earth-Day type activity.

  12. Mrs Green says:

    @John Costigane: I think it’s going to be very warm, John if today’s temperatures and sky line are anything to go by! I wish we had a webcam on you 🙂

    I have a feeling Mr Neurosis will fit in very well over here, for more reasons than the ones you stated LOL!

    @VegBoxClara: You’ve moved house?! How did it go? I want to hear all about it and I’m looking forward to hearing which way you decided to celebrate.
    I love the ‘please look after this book’ idea too 🙂

  13. John Costigane says:

    Mrs Green,

    The day was ace. The garden was tackled in the old manner with slug prevention to the fore, ie no hiding places.

    I later read Shakespeare’s King Henry VIII play. With the recent news about the famous King, the play added the view from a more adjacent era.

    A webcam would have been useful during the day but the light dimmed quite early with the dark clouds in late afternoon. Natural light all day was a different experience. At 9 o’clock, it was bedtime and I slept almost immediately.

  14. Mrs Green says:

    @John Costigane: Hi John; your day sounded perfect. It’s great to unplug once in a while and go out and experience full living.
    I feel like that too – this computer is great and I wouldn’t be without it, but we have to balance it with other things.

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