Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks its anniversary as the day it started a global movement to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Everyone has a role to play in protecting the planet. By taking action together, we can reduce pollution, create a healthier and sustainable environment, and ultimately, keep the outdoors an inviting place to be.
Free Country embodies the spirit of adventure and empowers communities to lead a fun, active, lifestyle in the beautiful outdoors….and we want to keep it that way! Here are some easy tips you can do each day that may seem small, but will make a difference in keeping the outdoors healthy.
4 Sustainable Tips
1. Unplug. Literally.
Be mindful of how much electricity you use each day. Are your lights always on? What about air conditioning and heat? An easy hack is simply unplugging any electronics when not in use.
Alternative: Power off your TV and get outside. It’s that easy! Spend more time outside in nature and you’ll cut down on energy use. When possible, ride a bike or walk instead of a car to reduce greenhouse gases!
2. Ever heard of “Plogging”?
Plogging is the act of jogging, walking, or running and picking up litter on the go! The next time you are on your morning run, afternoon stroll, or walk in the park, bring along a pair of gloves and collect any litter you find. Not only will this keep your community looking great, it helps to curb pollution, prevent trash from entering our rivers, lakes and water supply and helps to maintain the environment.
3. Minimize Plastics
Scary Fact: Did you know Americans purchase an estimated 50 billion water bottles per year? Plastic pollution can be found everywhere on the planet, from our oceans to even on Mount Everest!
That’s why Free Country created a line of eco-conscious FreeCycle® jackets, which takes plastic out of the landfills and turns it into high quality fills and fabrics. We’ve recycled 15 million bottles...and counting!
Alternative: Bring reusable bags when you’re out shopping versus using store-bought plastic bags. Ditch the plastic water bottles and use stainless steel!
4. Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!
Reduce on your overall waste generation by being mindful of what you purchase and what you throw away. Re-use items as long as you can or give unused items a new home to someone who might need it. Recycle something discarded and turn it into something you can use in a new way.
Alternative: Next time you buy a food product in a jar, keep the jar for DIY gardening, or to use as a new container for spices!
This Earth Day, invest in the planet. Explore ways you can give back and protect the environment! The first step can be as easy as unplugging, getting more fresh air and spending time outdoors. Hopefully, these four tips will help get you started.
Happy Earth Day!