Earth Day 2022 marks the 52nd anniversary of this wonderful initiative and this year, with the theme being “Invest In Our Planet”, the idea is to encourage governments, corporations, and citizens to take conscious steps toward adopting sustainable practices, buying from ethical companies and taking a more active role in the planet’s wellbeing. The first-ever Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 by activist John McConnel and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to come together to fight serious issues concerning ecology, reverence for existence on earth, and the rising pollution of soil, air, and water. Celebrated in over 140 countries, Earth Day is a reminder of our duty towards other living creatures and mother Earth and to prosper as an interdependent system.
In the spirit of giving, it’s important to think about how one can give back to the planet as well. What are the steps that can be taken to protect and preserve land, air, and water in the community and beyond? Sustainable actions – large or small – make a massive impact in this world. You may wonder how one person can make a difference? Well, it’s true that it’s going to take all of us but if you start right at this moment, the implementation can only get better as others join you. Everyone is accountable to the wellbeing of the planet.
Below you’ll find some brilliant ideas for volunteering and caring for our planet. While Earth Day is a wonderful day to honour the earth, you don’t require a special day to celebrate and support our beautiful planet while also being socially responsible.
1. Plant trees
Even if you don’t have a yard of your own to tend to, you can still leave an environmental legacy by planting a seed that may turn into a mighty tree one day. Taking care of our immediate environment by planting trees or any other kinds of vegetation will provide shade on sunny days, home to woodland creatures, and will replenish the atmosphere’s oxygen. Perhaps try planting trees or plants that improve air quality that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, eradicate air pollutants, and lowers surface and air temperatures.
2. Use active transportation
We’re aware that nothing beats the comfort of a car. But even though the convenience and ease may be higher, using a car isn’t the best option when it comes to saving the planet. Instead, consider cycling or taking public transport to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases released in the air, lowering your carbon footprint automatically. If you’re keen on driving, choose to carpool.
3. Pick up garbage
Try to recall the amount of garbage you saw the last time you went for a walk on the street. We’re sure it was a little bit of litter here, there, and everywhere. Have you ever wondered where that litter ends up? Nine billion tons of litter end up in the ocean every single year. By participating in a garbage or beach clean-up, you not only clean up your neighbourhood but also protect our oceans and contribute to segregating trash responsibly for better recycling.
4. Donate “things”
If there are items lying in your home that serve no purpose anymore, instead of throwing them away consider donating them to those in need. For example, gently used clothing, small appliances, or other household items can be given to charities or orphanages or even to your house chef or maid to help them out.
5. Pledge to shop only local
By buying local, you support local farmers and producers, helping them stay in operation. This in turn leads them to protect local lands and wildlife by not allowing local developers to take over. Moreover, by shopping for local produce, you cut down on your food miles which essentially means your food doesn’t travel thousands of kilometers to get to you. This doesn’t create a large carbon footprint, cuts down on fuel consumption as well as air pollution. Local produce is also easily accessible and fresher than that sold by large retailers.
To keep the spirit going, we spoke to some of our most beloved brands to learn how they’re contributing to the welfare of the planet this World Earth Day. Scroll below to read their responses.
Nasoprofumi
Created and inspired in Italy but with its roots firmly set in India, Naso Profumi is India’s first green perfumery with all-natural, non-synthetic artisanal perfumes. The brand uses extracted waste to make compost for its plantations for perfume ingredients, harvests water at its farms, and uses solar panels for green electricity. Naso uses recycled plastic and paper for its product packaging and encourages customers to bring their used perfume bottles and candle containers to refill instead of purchasing new bottles as part of its ‘Naso Refill’ initiative.
“To Save is to Sustain, we want to work effectively in a fashion where we make the 360 processes of giving back to the environment even more effective & fun.” – Team Nasoprofumi
Bare Necessities
Started in the pursuit of zero waste living by founder Sahar Mansoor, Bare Necessities today serves as a one-stop solution for those seeking a zero-waste and plastic-free lifestyle and sustainable personal care products made with eco-friendly materials and ethically-sourced ingredients. Mansoor inadvertently created waves when she managed to collect all of the waste, she produced in a 500-gram jar, a feat she achieved in the two and a half years she’s been living zero waste and continues to do so.
“This Earth Day we’re striving to make mindful changes in our lifestyle and encourage others to do so! Because we believe that if we take care of the planet, the planet will take care of us.” – Team Bare Necessities
Octavius Tea
A heritage tea producer, Octavius Tea is keeping the century old legacy of exquisite blending and incredible brews alive to bring to the world a taste of true India. A drink that brings the whole nation together, most of Octavius Tea’s blends are sourced from their own plantations of the majestic valleys of Assam, Darjeeling or Nilgiris.
“Every day we make choices in our lives that affect the environment. At Octavius, it is our genuine endeavor to make tea sustainable, our constant efforts to improve soil quality, water management, maximum usage of organic manure, wildlife conservation, workers’ well-being, and packaging that cares are few efforts that showcase our “planet first” initiatives. We have also applied for a few sustainability certifications and are hopeful to get certified soon which will further strengthen our efforts.” – Mrs Ekta Jain, CMO, Octavius Tea
Raw Beauty Wellness
A mindful brand that grew out of the founder’s intrigue of raw and organic ingredients to create beauty concoctions has today become synonymous to unfiltered beauty. Using the goodness of nature and sustainable ingredients provided by mother Earth, Raw Beauty Wellness believe that each product empowers the customer with confidence, inner beauty and all the feel-good feels.
“This Earth Day, we will be planting native fruit trees. Not only do fruit trees create a beautiful ecosystem for birds and insects like bees, but they also make available their bounty to a passerby. Moreover, native trees are easier on the local environment as they aren’t too demanding in terms of water requirements, neither do they adversely alter the ecosystem.” – Sunanya Walia, Founder
Sublime Life
Sublime Life was built after understanding the e-commerce space & the need to give back to the environment. Keeping sustainability at the core, the online platform and community were built so that consumers could access ethical, clean & eco-friendly products from across the globe. At Sublime Life, they provide 100% plastic-free shipping. Everything from their packaging boxes, to wrapping materials, to tape & sleeves, is made of recyclable materials or material that can be further recycled. They also educate consumers about making a switch to cruelty-free beauty because their buying habits can bring about a change in what sells and what doesn’t.
They also have the #SublimeRecycles program to promote effective utilization of resources. Every empty that people send back in is rewarded with Sublime Rewards that can be further redeemed for purchases on the website. This is their attempt to reduce waste, reuse more and recycle. It’s their attempt to make a positive impact on the environment. A way to reduce the carbon footprint and invest in the environment.
“For so much that we have taken from our planet, it’s only fair to start giving it back. It’s time to adopt a greener, sustainable lifestyle. Even the smallest actions like reducing waste, reusing and recycling more will amount to making a huge difference. It’s time to invest in the planet.” – Team Sublime Life
ThinkRight.me
Being India’s leading meditation and mindfulness platform, ThinkRight.Me (TRM) believes that thought is at the forefront of everything. A beginning, that can help you reprogram your mind to think right and eventually, leading you to doing and living the right way.
“True sustainability begins with the evolvement of individuals. It starts with the inner attitude, with our values, our mindset, and our culture. Sustainability isn’t a trend but a transformation. We believe that by changing our thought, we can relook at our relationships with money, resources and consumption to be more mindful about the planet and save it for the generations to come.” – Team ThinkRight.me
Take a page out of these brand’s book of philosophy and contribute to the wellbeing of our planet by giving back in any way you can.
Read more: Why Mental Health At The Workplace Should Be A Priority?
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