“Be soft.  Do not let the world make you hard.  Do not let pain make you hate.  Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.  Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”  – Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

It is Earth Day today and I love everything about a day that brings a little awareness to the beautiful place we all call home. As I get older, I appreciate some of the basics in life a little more. It upsets me that more people don’t care. I’m always a little offended when someone doesn’t recycle, litters or drives their car 2 blocks on a nice sunny day.

1. Walk more. If you live in any city or suburb, you are close enough to walk to at least one restaurant, store or park. Trade in your car keys for your tennis shoes. Not only will you only buy what you need (and can carry) but you will also get some good exercise.  Make it fun by using a FitBit or the steps tracker on your iPhone.

2. Buy reusable grocery bags. They are cheap, easy and way less likely to ever break or rip leaving your eggs broken all over the parking lot. Plus, they usually save you a few pennies each trip.

3. Go to your local farmer’s markets. It’s good to support local businesses, plus you get free samples all the time. While you are shopping, it’s also good to know who the socially responsible companies are and support them. Here is one article on this topic.

4. Recycle. Not just things in the blue bins, but recycle your electronics, clothing, household items. So many organizations out there will take you donations. Plus, I’ve said it a million times on this blog – getting rid of clutter and things is really therapeutic.

5. Use public transportation when you can. It’s a great time to read, people watch and maybe even catch one of these magically hilarious moments on the train.

6. Be aware of ingredients. Read what is in the cleaners you use, the food you eat, the makeup you use, the things you buy. Today, there are a few Whole Foods that are asking people to bring in their cleaning products full of chemicals and they will give you the same product from an all-natural brand for free. Check your local store’s facebook pages for more information.

7. Be aware of your water usage and avoid buying bottled water when possible. If you love infographics like me, check out this one from the Greatist about why you shouldn’t buy bottled water. I’m guilty of buying at the airport sometimes or while we are out in the city, but for the most part, we avoid them.

8. Turn things off. Use power strips that you can power down when you aren’t using things. We have one at the desk and when I’m not working, everything gets powered off. We unplug our small appliances and chargers when we aren’t using them. We keep our windows open and our lights off as much as possible. Tonight, give yourself an hour with nothing turned on – no music, no TV, no phone, no computer. Open a book, meditate, look through old pictures. You’ll save yourself some money on your utility bills at the same time.

So that’s enough of my hippie side for today. I’m not going to advise you to hug a tree, but just give a damn. Celebrate Earth. Enjoy beauty around you. (insert peace sign emoji here)