Earth Week 2021
April 22, 2021 will mark 51 years of Earth Day celebrations, but we should celebrate Earth Day everyday.
Support the fight towards protecting our Earth; here are some activities and tips for you to follow, not only this week but over the 52 weeks in the year. We may be apart but we are all still connected!
Earth Week events
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Meatless Monday
- Try a delicious plant-based meal! Try one meal a day or aim for a full day of plant-based dishes.
- Support a local farmer or local restaurant
- Did you know: 75% of agricultural land is devoted to raising animals?
(Source: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/issues/meat/)
UNSDG Goals
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Textile Tuesday
- Get out your sewing kit, needle and thread! Create your own repair café at home; patch your favourite jeans, fix your torn shirt or sew on missing buttons from your sweater. If you have gently used clothing items, contact your local charity to schedule a safe drop donation.
- Did you know: North Americans send over 10 million tonnes of clothing to landfill each year, 95% of which could be recycled or reused?
(Source: WRW Canada https://wrwcanada.com/en/get-involved/resources/textiles-themed-resources/textiles-waste-facts)
UNSDG Goals
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Wellness Wednesday
Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Planet!
- Participate in a mindfulness activity (e.g. yoga, meditation)
- Connect to nature; start seedlings inside, plant a garden bed or start container gardening if you have limited space
- Plant fruit, vegetables or flowers at home with your family
- Tune in to messages, performances and calls to action from a variety of activists and celebrities, like Earth Day Goes digital: Watch live
- Read about Earth Day actions you can take at https://www.earthday.org/take-action-now/
- Join an Ontario Tech Mindfulness session from the comfort of your home!
UNSDG Goals
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Trashless Thursday (April 22nd is Earth Day)
- Reduce single-use plastics by using reusable bottles, mugs, bags and straws.
- Have you tried a beeswax wrap? They are one alternative to plastic ‘cling’ wrap. If you don’t have them at home they are fun to make!
- Did you know: Canadians throw away 57 million single-use plastics straws everyday? That's more than 20 billion each year!
(Source: WRW Canada https://wrwcanada.com/en/get-involved/resources/plastics-themed-resources/plastic-facts)
UNSDG Goals
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Food Waste Friday
- Planning your meals can help you shop strategically to reduce food waste.
- Don’t forget to follow your municipality’s composting and recycling guidelines to reduce waste going to landfill
- While at home you may want to create your own compost pile. You can collect coffee and tea grounds to add to your gardens or collect fruit and vegetable scraps along with yard waste into a tumbler (depending on where you live, you may be limited to what you collect to avoid unwanted critters)
UNSDG Goals
Five sustainable practices at home
- Wear a sweater
Reduce your heating bills by warming yourself up instead of your whole home!
- Practice a mindfulness activity
Try yoga or meditation – Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Planet!
- Don't run the tap
Be mindful of water usage; every little bit counts!
- Make natural cleaning products
Safe and effective alternatives to your favourite cleaning products can be made at home!
- Shut off lights when not in use
Lightbulbs use a lot of power – try to turn them off when you leave a room and use LED bulbs wherever possible!
Tag or DM @OT_GoGreen what you will be doing for Earth Week!
#StaySafe #StayConnected #StayHealthy #OurPlanetOurHealth #EarthDay
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