On April 22, 1970, the very first Earth Day was celebrated by an estimated 20 million people nationwide. This day was created to support environmental protection. During this time, the Vietnam War was happening; smoke and smog from industry heavily polluted the air. Earth Day birthed a voice that spoke up for the rights of the environment; a topic not widely discussed up until this point. There are many campaigns and projects all around the globe speaking out and creating political discourses. Whether you'd like to become apart of these or not, there are many things we as consumers and individuals can do at home to help raise awareness in our communities.

1. Plant Something.

Celebrating Earth Day can be as simple as planting some tasty veggies or your favorite flower. We, as a human race, take this planet for granted. Planet Earth provides us with every single resource needed to survive and we've become trapped in the vicious cycle of extracting and polluting. While there are many policies in place to try and mitigate the impact of our behavior, humans are far from perfect and our flaws are severely damaging this planet. At any opportunity possible, and specifically Earth Day, we need to show Mother Nature our love and appreciation for all she has given us.

2. Commit to Plastic Free.

Plastics are not biodegradable. Their remnants will be left on this earth longer than we'd like to consider. They release harmful chemicals into the environment and harm the physical well-being of wild and domesticated animals. The biggest reason to ditch your plastic is the slow, painful death it can inflict on marine life. Once ingested, animals cannot digest these plastics and get trapped in the digestive tract. As a result, the animal will have a much harder time digesting food. Eventually, these animals will be faced with death, as their bodies are not able to function to survive.

The good news is, there is an abundance of plastic-free options out there that will last you a lifetime. Ditch single-use items and replace them with reusable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly alternatives.

3. Test Out Alternative Modes of Transportation.

Anthropocentric climate change can largely be attributed to all the CO₂ polluting our atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a product of burning fossil fuels, which it just so happens occurs every time you drive.

Hop on the bus with your fellow neighbors, you might see a friendly face and spark up a conversation. Or, if it's a nice day, try walking to your next destination. Walking can be a great way to include a little exercise into your day, as well as allowing yourself some well-deserved time for personal reflection (Can be beneficial for mental health). If walking or public transportation is near impossible, carpooling can be a temporary solution.

4. Go Outside and Enjoy Nature Wherever You Can.

Nature is all around us and we should celebrate every aspect of this earth in any possible way. Nobody is perfect, so why does nature have to be? Every inch of this earth is modified or impacted by human intervention. Whether it's a college campus, developed neighborhoods, rural landscapes, or national parks; humans influence the balance of nature. Just because a landscape has been modified by humans doesn't make it any less a part of "nature." These areas of modified land are just as valuable as nature we have set aside, such as National Parks. Nature is our backyards, is that small patch of grass next to our driveways, neighborhood parks, or any size of land containing plants and/or animals.

Nature shouldn't be saved for a sunny day. Take the day to rediscover the simplicity of the outdoors by appreciating the mud and rain. Work in your garden or help a friend in theirs, pick wild berries on a trail, or do some habitat restoration in your area. Working the land is highly rewarding and helps build a strong relationship between human and non-human; centering us to our natural roots.