10 Ways to Spend Earth Day 2008

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd.  What are you doing to give your green living a booster shot that'll leave you inspired and the planet happy?

If you already have an answer to that question, drop us an e-mail telling us what you plan to do, and you'll be entered for a chance to win an organic produce box courtesy of Front Door Organics!  If you don't know how to spend your Earth Day fear not, we've got some great suggestions coming up and you can still be entered in the contest by recounting your Earth Day adventures, after the fact.  We're accepting submission for this contest up until and including April 30th. Send your Earth Day adventure/story to info@thegreencity.ca to automatically be entered.

1) Here's an oldy but a goody, take a walk with your loved one(s) and do your part by picking up litter that's been uncovered by the spring thaw.  Don't forget to bring TWO bags, one for trash and one for recyclables.

2) Leave your car parked for the day (or the week or the month) and walk, bike or take public transit to get to work and wherever else you're going.  Or organize a car pool between a few of your coworkers.

3) Shut down your computer, TV and other appliances when not in use.  Plug your entertainment centre (TV, DVD player, Stereo, game consoles) into a power bar that you turn on before use and off after use.  All these appliances still consume energy when they're turned off but still plugged in. 

4) Eat less Meat!  One of the best things you can do for the environment is to cut meat out of your diet.  If you're not prepared to cut it out altogether, just look at your current meat-eating habits and commit to no meat 1 or 2 or 3 days per week.  Meat-based diets require 7 times more land that plant-based ones and the meat industries create more greenhouse gases than all of the earth's cars! 

5) Eat local, organic foods.  Support local farmers and farming industry, eating local foods that are in season is better for the environment than eating foods transported hundreds of miles to get to you.  This Earth Day, try cooking a meal using only local, in season ingredients.  A little creativity is required but delicious and rewarding meals can come of it.  

6) Don't idle.  Turn your car's engine off if you'll be stopped for more than 10 seconds.  The surge of gas used to start an engine is only equivalent to around 10 seconds of run time.  If you aren't sure how long you'll be stopped just remember that things tend to take more time than you anticipate, so you might as well turn it off.

7) Set your thermostat.  Keep your thermostat just below room tempature in Winter and just above room tempature in summer.  Don't leave your air conditionner on as a default setting, always make a conscious decision to turn it on only on hot days when you really need it.  On medium days, turn on a fan and open some windows.

8) Replace your incandescant bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL).  They use 1/4 of the energy and last 10 times longer.  They do contain a small amount of heavy metals so when CFL's kick the bucket, hold onto them and drop them off at your local Household Hazard Waste centre where they'll be sent off to be recycled.

9) Compost to reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill.  Start a compost pile in your yard, use your green bin or, if you live in an appartment, use an indoor worm-composting system. 

10) Get involved!  As with every year, there's a ton of Earth Day events available to you organized by the city of Toronto and by your local community. These are always a great opportunity to pick up green-living knowledge, get rid of Household Hazardous Waste and also to have fun and catch up with your neighbours!  What's great about these events is that someone else has taken care of all the planning, all you need to do is show up and have fun! 

If you're opting for a night in this Earth Day, make it a movie night and go rent 'The 11th Hour'...  It's coming down to the wire and we all need to transform our thinking.

To find out about Earth Day events in your area, visit www.earthday.ca and click on 'events'.

This year's flagship Earth Day Toronto event is at Downsview Park:

Sunday, April 20, 2008
11:00AM - 4:00PM
Free Admission

Features environmentally-friendly exhibits, activities and entertainment - rain or shine - for the whole family!  Leave your legacy and help create a sustainable community for future generations by planting 2000 trees in Downsview Park's Canada Forest.