“The Earth is what we all have in common.”
—Wendell Berry

If you didn’t already know, April is Earth Month and today marks the first day and the start of Earth Week 2021! This week is a great opportunity to reflect and work towards taking some new initiatives. You could think of it as New Year’s for sustainable change. This post is meant to help you start off your week feeling inspired by explaining 10 simple ways you can help give back to the Earth. But before I get into the list, I want to share a bit about the importance of developing a relationship with our Earth and how it can help shift your perspective to a more compassionate, proactive mindset.

Some of you might be curious what I mean by a “relationship”. So for context, I will start by making a comparison that you will be familiar with. We all have relationships with our bodies, right? Some are good, some are bad, and some very day-to-day. Generally, the time and effort we put into the care and health of our bodies is a good reflection of that. Those who love their bodies are gentle to them and listen to what they need — they appreciate them for carrying them through the day and understand the importance of fueling and resting them properly. Just the opposite, those with negative centered body relationships tend to have a skewed perspective of themselves due to external factors. Instead of seeing their body for what it is: a vessel to explore the world, build relationships, and accomplish goals, they tend to be sucked into habits (both physical and mental) that hurt their bodies… a lot of the time it isn’t even intentional.

Just like our bodies are the homes of our souls, the earth is our communal home. Choosing to develop a positive relationship with the Earth will help you better appreciate the planet and understand the dire need for change. Just like self-care helps us take time for our bodies, it is important to nurture our relationship with the earth too. My hope is that you can take some suggestions from this list as a great way to start.

Let me know other ways you connect and give back to the earth in the comments below the list. I hope you have a wonderful start to this extra green week and are able to connect with the Earth in a new way.

Until next time,

— Claudia

Pick up trash on your walks

A great first step is starting to integrate clean-up into your everyday life. When you go for a walk take a bag and gloves with you. If you have kids, it is a great teachable moment that shows them how they can care for and enjoy nature. Every Sunday, I go out just to pick up trash around the neighborhood. I set up a limit of a bag/trip because I carry the bag back home. It’s good to start small.

You can go by yourself at first, but if you need more support, ask others in your community to join. There is no need to make it hard or obligatory. From my experience, people will want to join a good cause and before you know you, you have a whole group that will start picking up garbage on regular basis.

Use your car less and choose to bike or walk more

In Europe, I used to walk and bike everywhere. I never needed a car. A car was more of an inconvenience in the city and this continues to be true in a lot of large and medium-sized cities. It’s a bit different here on the Island and I totally understand the need for a car if you live in the countryside or a rural area.

If you have the right conditions and infrastructure consider riding your bike instead of driving. In PEI, we have a really great organization that advocates for better bike infrastructure “Bike Friendly Charlottetown” and their work brought some new bike lanes in PEI. Google maps also has a bike option for planning routes. If you want to see your impact of switching from driving to biking you can calculate that with this calculator from Omni.

Start your own garden

Starting a garden is a very relaxing activity and can save some veggies and aromatics from traveling long distances. This is one of the quickest ways to see the impact of your carbon footprint. If you are interested, you can learn more about the damaging impacts of the food supply chain here.

There is something really satisfying about growing a plant from seed to fruit. There are so many options to grow plants even if you live in an apartment. If you have limited space, start small by regrowing veggies in water or planting a small herb garden. Connecting with plants and new growth is an amazing way to feel tethered to the Earth and appreciate all it does for us.

Start composting

Depending on where you live, composting is a fulfilling process to be a part of. If you have a backyard, front yard, or small garden plot you can start making your own compost by simply digging a hole in the ground. There are also a ton of different worm farms and organic waste tumblers available now which is pretty cool. I am still learning about composting but I thought it was still worth including in this list. You can check out Mashable’s, Simple Guide to Composting as a great resource to start.

We have two compost tumblers that we used last year and this year we have fresh compost for starting our garden.

Work towards low waste living

This is (obviously) my most discussed way to give back to the earth. While zero-waste is a lifestyle movement, I do believe every single person can benefit from learning to produce less waste. If you aren’t sure where to start — head back to my main blog section and check out my other posts. I have so many other tips and tricks on how to produce less waste and work towards being more self-reliant. Last week’s list of 50+ Zero Waste Swaps you Can Make Over Time includes a downloadable PDF where you can track your progress.

Plant a tree

There’s a couple of options for this one. You can join a group that plants trees, donate to an organization, or plant your own if you have a backyard. Tree Canada’s website is full of information and great resources. They even have a tree planting guide that will help explain the entire process. There are also tons of amazing businesses that will plant a tree with every purchase, you can check out the list here to see what businesses are involved in the One Tree project.

Plant wildflowers for the bees

Bees are STILL endangered! There are fewer and fewer native bred bees every year. Right now, eight wild bee species are listed under Canada's species risk registry. The National Post wrote an article titled It's almost too late:' Canada protects honey bees but native bee species are becoming endangered you should definitely check out. Planting some wildflowers or even letting some dandelions grow instead of treating them like weeds can help though it has become a bigger issue. The article explains how Canada needs an action plan to save the pollinators for each sector of society, including the government. Consider reaching out to local farms, retailers, and beekeepers to see how you can help the bees native to your specific climate.

Put up a bird feeder

Every morning I drink my coffee while watching the birds feed. We bought a smart feeder for smaller birds which doesn't allow the heavier bird to access the seeds. It’s a great way to connect with nature right when you start your day and a lovely little way to give back. Be sure to do a bit of research to find out the species native to your area to ensure you buy a feeder that fits their needs. On ebird.org you can search your region to find out more about the local fauna where you are.

Turn off your lights and unplug devices

When you leave a room, always turn off the lights. Saving energy is a super simple, easy way to show the planet you care, while also saving on your bills. The World Wildlife Fund’s earth hour has been proven to save up to 4% of countries’ yearly energy consumption from just ONE hour of widespread lights out. It would be so awesome if we could all commit to doing this once or twice a week — consider trying it your home.

Use less water

While water isn’t in short supply for most of us here in Canada, it is so important to conserve it for both the environment and struggling communities that need it. Consider choosing showers instead of baths, and using a bucket to collect the extra water while it is heating up to use for plants or dishes. Using an energy-efficient dishwasher rather than washing by hand also can help save on water if possible. Project water has a list of 100 ways to conserve water that is a great resource to bookmark as well.

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