10 Ways to Celebrate pr
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EARTH DAY Every Day
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by Laura Byrne and Anu Varma Panchal
We only have one earth, and it’s on each one of us to nurture it, treasure it and protect it for future generations. We’ve all been taught to recycle and reuse, but this April, let’s think more creatively and pragmatically. Let’s pledge to buy less stuff, rethink fast fashion purchases, reduce use of single use plastics and even consider planting a tree or a pollinator garden.
Check out this list of ten actions that we’re considering taking that can help make our world a better place. We hope you’ll find at least one on there that sparks your interest!
ONE: RECYCLE OLD TOYS.
THREE: SHOP A REFILLABLE STORE.
Many of us donate old toys once our kids have outgrown them, but what about toys that are broken beyond repair or can’t be donated? Rather than tossing them into the garbage where the nonbiodegradable components will sit for years, consider recycling them. Mattel allows you to download a free shipping label to send back toys that they will then repurpose for new toys. Hasbro, Spin Master, V-Tech and LeapFrog all partner with TerraCycle to recycle old toys and use the resulting parts to make everything from park benches to f lower pots.
According to the Environment Protection Association, packing and containers make up more than a quarter of municipal solid wastes. Think of a simple two-pack of a cleaning spray that might come boxed and wrapped in plastic. Consider a shopping lifestyle change and start visiting a refillable store to stock up on these essentials. At Luf ka Refillables in South Tampa, Seminole Heights and Wesley Chapel, you can bring your container (or buy cute ones from the store) to fill up on everything from facial products to home cleaners and sprays.
» Mattel: www2.mattel.com/en-us/playroom/playback » Hasbro: hasbrotoyrecycling.hasbro.com/en-us/toy-recycling
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While this can be a big-impact, long-term solution, it’s important to do your homework first. Visit a local nursery or speak to a horticulturist to learn about native options that can thrive in our gardening zone without excessive watering. You don’t want to bring in an invasive species. Also keep in mind that there are rules and laws that govern what you can plant in public areas. Check out the City of Tampa’s Community Tree Program through which you can request a free tree for city land, greenways or street rights of way. If you live outside city limits, contact Hillsborough County to see if your community qualifies for a tree grant. » www.tampa.gov/parks-and-recreation/services/ treemendous-tampa » www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/propertyowners-and-renters/homeowners-and-neighborhoods/ action-folder/apply-for-a-tree-grant
FIVE: COMPOST! TAKE A CLASS OR LEARN FROM LOCALS. One of the most valuable forms of natural, organic, recyclable fertilizer is our food waste and yard scraps. Through the City of Tampa’s Backyard Composting Program, you can get a free bin and learn how to compost at home. Organizations like Suncoast Compost will pick up your scraps and drop off compost at a location for you twice a year. Turn composting into a family learning project—kids might get a kick out of the role played by worms in vermicomposting—or sign up for a class about microirrigation and rain collection with a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension class. » sfyl.ifas.uf l.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events » www.tampa.gov/solid-waste/backyard-composting-program » www.suncoastcompost.com
istockphoto.com/ Olga Petrova-Apostolova
We love the Subpod, which is dubbed as the world’s first modular closed-loop garden system. You can place it in the ground or in a raised garden bed. subpod.com
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» www.crazycrayons.com/recycle-program » thecrayoninitiative.org » www.crayola.com/colorcycle
FOUR: PLANT A TREE.
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Old and broken crayons might be a mess to deal with, but if you toss them out, they can sit in a landfill indefinitely because the paraffin material they are made of simply won’t degrade. But organizations like Crazy Crayons and the National Crayon Recycle Program work together to collect old crayons and turn them into new ones that kids can use. You can also ship your old crayons to The Crayon Initiative, which will melt them and turn them into new ones for kids in hospitals. Crayola’s ColorCycle program that collects old markers to reuse is on pause right now because of the pandemic but keep an eye on their website to see when it opens back up.
» www.luf ka.com
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TWO: DON’T TOSS OLD CRAYONS AND MARKERS.
