Earth day is April 22nd, and this is the perfect time to take some time out of your busy day to clean up a campground near you. If you don’t have any campgrounds near you, then go out to one of your local parks or open space areas and make the earth a little better for everyone. It’s easy! All you need to do is take a trash sack and enjoy a nice long walk. If you find yourself at a campground or park, try asking the camp hosts if there is anything specific that they would like you to do. Make sure they are aware that you are offering to volunteer for the day to celebrate Earth Day.
If you have friends or family who enjoy camping or parks, you can discuss Earth Day with them. You can talk about your plans for Earth Day activities, and why the environment is important to you. Ask what they are doing for Earth Day and beyond, and ask if they have any ideas or ways to improve your own efforts. Invite them to join you! You might just be surprised when they do! By combining your efforts you can make even more of a difference, have a fun time, and show that cooperation can make the world a better place.
Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the environment. Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as a national day of observance of environmental problems held on April 22, 1970. While this first Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 International Mother Earth Day.
Solar Cooking for Home and Camp
Check your local area for earth day events that you can participate in. Many of the events may be centered around local parks or other outdoor areas. Check your local papers or news outlets for schedules of events.
If you can’t find an official event, take the time to make your own. There are many ideas out there and some that work well with the outdoor enthusiasts here at Camp Out Colorado. We love to head out to local parks and just clean up trash. It is sad how much trash can accumulate even in parks full of tended trash bins. Just a little bit of time devoted to picking up trash helps preserve both the beauty and health of the area.
Cabela's Fluorescent and LED Camping Lantern
Here are some other great ideas:
- Call or write your local representatives and ask them to support environmental initiatives and promote environmental causes to protect the Earth.
- Call or write your legislature to pursue green, clean energy sources. The technology is available, we know to tap the massive energy reserves of water, wind and solar. We just need the public push to make it happen.
- Change out wasteful electronics for energy efficient ones. Switch to LED lighting for camping and replace burned-out incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Use an energy efficient generator.
- Make sure you use biodegradable soap when camping.
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Coleman Biodegradable Soap
Stop using toxic pesticides and cleaning products. There are many environmentally friendly alternatives.
- Use solar cooking alternatives when possible.
- Use a portable camping toilet, and dispose of the waste in designated areas.
The most important step is to limit our effect on the environment. The easiest step is conservation. Once that step is taken, we can work to repair the damage that we have already done, and help mitigate future damage. As avid camping and outdoor enthusiasts, we have a passion for our planet and it is up to all of us to do our part to make this a better world for all of us. Let’s strive to give our children a better Earth than what we have today. Happy Earth Day!
