Every year, Earth Day passes at the blink of an eye.  The holiday remains unappreciated and somewhat unbeknownst to the general population. Considering this day celebrates the Earth, the very planet we’ve called home for the past 200,000 years, this is utterly ridiculous; however, is the holiday really needed in the first place?  The answer is, simply, no. Instead of one day dedicated to bettering the planet that raised us, we should be celebrating Earth Day everyday. Let’s be honest, our dying planet is not going to be saved by spending one day recycling and the other 364 days are still spent polluting.  Luckily, the Ubiquity is here with four easy ways to make a daily impact.

• Buy Reusable Bags, Bottles, and Dishes

Over 50% of landfill waste is able to be reduced by simply buying reusable items.  Whether it be water bottles, straws, grocery bags, or tupperware, reusing items not only saves money, but the planet as well.  From a financial perspective, buying a $20 reusable bottle once a year versus a $15 pack of plastic water bottles every week is a smarter way of saving the Earth and your bank account.  As an employee at a grocery store, I see the mass amount of plastic bags purchased daily, and most of them eventually going to waste. Instead of purchasing bags everytime you go to the store, try bringing previously purchased ones or buying reusable totes available at the checking stands because, believe me, you will earn your money back.

• Eat Less Animal Products

Now, before everyone gets triggered, I am not saying that everyone must go vegan or vegetarian.  Instead, try not eating meat or dairy once or twice a week.  Food is food, vegetables aren’t scary, and vegan meals, if cooked correctly, aren’t disgusting.  Studies show if only ten million people stop eating meat for just one day a week, we would save 5700 acres of land, 13 million tons of water, 48 tons of saturated fat, and reduce enough carbon emissions to drive around the world over two-thousand times.  However, if you cannot go even a day without consuming some type of animal product, try buying locally sourced foods or cutting down on red meats, especially beef (the second leading cause of climate change). If Americans were more open-minded about trying new and nutritious options, our health and our Earth’s health would benefit exponentially.  

• Switch Off and Unplug

Every year, Americans use over ten thousand kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. With only one kWh, we are able to run a laptop constantly for over fifty-six hours, charge an iPhone over the course of sixty hours, and use a microwave for a full hour.  Turning off lights, unplugging outlets, or shutting down computers/TVs when they are not being used would save 20% of energy that is wasted annually. Since the majority of the world runs on fossil fuels, instead of environmentally-friendly renewable sources,  reducing energy consumption is needed to prevent the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, i.e. CO2, CH4, and N2O.

• Buy Second Hand

Buying second hand clothing, furniture, or appliances reduces the textile industry’s large amount of CO2 emissions and water usage.  Over twenty-six billion pounds of textiles go to landfills each year. Not only is thrifting more environmentally friendly, it is also more affordable and humane.  Thrift stores also have clothes for all shapes, sizes, and styles, giving everybody a chance to find one-of-a-kind pieces at a good price.

While Earth Day is good in theory, the true ability for change is in the hands of us and our day-to-day lives.  If everyone were to make minor changes, the extensive damage that we have caused, may be reversed. So, it is now time that we raise our reusable bottles and drink to a new, sustainable way of life for both the planet, and our future.