Earth Day is a great way to celebrate the beginning of warmer weather! The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office invites you to celebrate Earth Day with us on Saturday, April 22nd at Bushmaster Park from 11am-2pm. Click here for a link to get all the details.
Since Earth Day is coming up, I have a little challenge for you! I have listed 20 simple ideas to make your life a little greener. Pick 5 to implement in April in honor of Earth Day. And I bet a lot of you are already doing some of these things!
- Just say no to water refills at the restaurants unless you are still thirsty for that 2nd glass.
- I know you don’t buy plastic water bottles anymore, right :)?
- Politely decline straws.
- Bring reusable bags to the grocery store and even to Target!
- Buy reusable produce bags for fruit and veggies at the grocery store.
- Head to the Community Farmer’s Market!
- Grow your own salad! Ok this may not be so simple but occasionally even I can grow lettuce and other greens here in Flagstaff!
- Eat less meat.
- Store leftovers in reusable glass containers, empty spaghetti sauce jars or the new beeswax wraps.
- Keep an empty coffee cup in your car for those impromptu coffee/tea meetups.
- Did you know that you can borrow a complete set of dinnerware at no cost from Friends of Flagstaff’s Future for your parties? I am sure donations are appreciated though.
- Get free books at the library (they have an online option that I use a lot!) or the free book nooks around town.
- Make your own cleaning solution- half water and half vinegar in a spray bottle (and I add essential oils sometimes too!).
- Watch more TV! Just kidding. But do please check out ‘Flagstaff Green Minute’ here on You Tube or here on Facebook. This is an especially clever video about the new recycling rules in Flagstaff.
- Buy used! There are so many places to buy used clothes, furniture and sporting goods in town now (try Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace).
- Keep a donate bin in the garage. We keep a box just outside out back door and when we come across something we have outgrown or no longer need, in it goes!
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room (and while you are at it put your wifi on a timer to turn off at night- a topic for another day).
- Hold off on flushing the toilet after every single visit. Eww I know, but give it a try!
- Break out the bike! It is getting warmer so try to walk or bike a bit more these days.
- Really think mindfully and purposefully about Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It works!
