Earth Day: We’ve come a long way, baby

Back in 1970, a U.S. Senator named Gaylord Nelson started a movement. Inspired in part by the rebellious, youthful spirit of the antiwar activists and in part by his own growing awareness of mounting environmental issues that were slowly destroying the earth, he created Earth Day. More than 20 million people gathered on April 22, 1970, and the movement has only grown since then.

In those 50 years, “sustainability” and “eco-friendly” have become buzzwords we use every day. The thought of 20 million people banding together like they did in 1970 might seem far-fetched; today, Americans celebrate Earth Day with little actions that can make a big difference.

Here at Neave Group, we like to think of ourselves as part of the original green industry. We’re working to beautify the planet and leave it better than when we started with every project we take on.

How are you celebrating Earth Day? We all have busy lives but sometimes you need to pause for a moment and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. Dedicate the weekend to Earth Day. Spend time with your family planting trees, building a community garden, helping install rain barrels and helping to educate people about what they can do and more.

Or you can take little steps every day to ensure that you leave the planet in a better place than when you started. Here are five tips for living greener all year round, in the garden and beyond.

Stay cool. Program your irrigation system or hand water your lawn early in the morning, when it’s coolest outside, to minimize evaporation. You won’t have to irrigate as much, which saves effort and a precious resource.

Go natural. Reduce your everyday chemical use as possible by feeding your plants natural fertilizer just like Mother Nature intended!

Use your legs. If you live in a community where it’s practical, consider biking. More and more towns are becoming bicycle friendly, installing bike lanes and signage asking cars to keep an eye out. (It can be a fun family activity, too.) You don’t have to get rid of your car, but consider biking and walking more. Oh yeah, and it’s healthy!

Reuse. Paper, plastic or permanent? Keep reusable totes in your car for grocery runs and other errands. Remember your insulated tumbler when you head to Starbucks in the morning.

Recycle. Planting your own garden? Find out whether the garden center you buy plants from offers a recycling service. If it does, you can take your pots back for disposal and reuse.

You’ve still got plenty of time to plan a grand global gesture before Earth Day arrives but why wait? Start taking little steps today. And tell us in the comments how you’re celebrating Earth Day this year.

A final note: If you’re brave enough really consider your impact on the planet, we love earthday.org’s “footprint calculator”. Take their ecological quiz to find your sustainability score.

Call the professionals at Neave Group Outdoor Solutions. From the Hudson Valley, call (845) 463-0592. If you’re in Westchester County, dial (914) 271-7996, and if you’re in Connecticut, call us at (203) 212-4800. You can also fill out our web form to have us get in touch with you.

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