Earth Day 2024 falls on April 22nd, and we’re already excited! This is an annual observance during which we “honor and celebrate our remarkable planet” and work to build a healthier, happier world for all living creatures. As gardeners, we know how important nature is and how we all fit together into the ecosystem around us. At Gardzen, we support conservation and environmental awareness all year long, but we would like to suggest some special ways that we as gardeners can celebrate Earth Day this year. Let’s dig in and take a look at some simple actions we can all take to support our planet and its future.
Let’s start with a classic Earth Day celebration and plant a tree. If you’re lucky enough to have a lawn or other outdoor space, consider adding another tree or shrub to your landscaping. Trees do so much to help keep the air clean, produce the oxygen we breathe, and provide habitat for birds and other animals. Planting a tree is a small thing that makes a big difference. And don’t worry—if you don’t have space for a tree of your own, your local garden club, Arbor Day group, or Earth Day celebration may have a tree planting event you can attend. Look around and see what’s going on near you—there’s always a way to participate.
Speaking of taking action close to home, taking part in or organizing a litter clean-up event can do a lot to keep harmful waste out of the natural environment. You can do this yourself—just get a trash bag and a pair of gloves and pick up trash and litter around your own neighborhood or in any other space where you can safely and legally do so. Ever bit of garbage that stays out of our waterways, soil, and away from sensitive wildlife makes a difference, so consider doing your part to help out!
Waste is always an issue in anything we do, and we should all look at ways to reduce our consumption particularly when it comes to single-use plastics. By buying products which are responsible made and which can be reused, we can all help reduce the impact that throwaway items have on the world around us. As gardeners we know the importance of natural and sustainable systems, so let’s all do our best to be more mindful of these issues in our own purchasing habits. Likewise, composting is a great way to ensure that nothing goes to waste and that we get the most out of everything we buy and consume.
Inviting others to the garden is a wonderful way to promote a healthier world and more environmental awareness. Introducing people to the joys of gardening—even if it’s just with a container plant or two—can help spread our understanding of how nature fits together and how we’re all part of the same living planet. Joining a gardening club or native plant society can also connect us with like minded folks—but nothing beats introducing someone new to the world of plants!
We’ve written before in this blog about the importance of supporting wildlife in our gardens, but with Earth Day upon us we thought it might be time for a reminder. Adopting sustainable gardening practices and leaving space for wildlife and insects makes our gardens richer and more vibrant while keeping our natural environment healthy and diverse. Supporting native species—including planting a native plants garden—goes a long way towards keeping nature around us in balance and healthy. It also reduces our water bills, as native plants typically require less irrigation and support.
We hope that you celebrate Earth Day 2024 by spending some time in your garden and doing a few things to make the world a bit better, cleaner, and healthier. We only have one planet, and at Gardzen we’re committed to celebrating the world we share all year round!
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