Earth Day 2013

ESC enlists volunteers to remove trash in residential neighborhoods by Fort Meade (CC BY 2.0)

So you recently moved into a wonderful new house, but unfortunately the neighborhood may resemble a scene from an old western film. You know, the one where all you see is a vast pile of dust and random bits of trash blowing in the wind, a large amount of tumble weeds, and two very unhappy men in cowboy hats arguing over some silly dispute. Well for this year’s Earth Day, why don’t we start off with a fresh and clean slate by making some Earth Day resolutions! Rather than arguing with your fellow neighbor, why don’t you give back to your community and your planet on April 22, 2013, by getting rid of those tumble weeds and replacing them with some of the greenest riches our world has to offer (and no, I am not talking about dollar bills).

Here are three different examples of Earth Day resolutions to follow in order to turn that depressing polluted pile of dust into a lively green environment:

Photo by: miheco

1. Plant an Avocado Tree
Let’s face it. Avocados are nature’s bacon. This green delight is not only delicious, but it is also a great source of healthy fat and according to the American Heart Association, avocados are a great tool to fight off cardiovascular disease.
Instead of purchasing avocados for yourself, you should make an Earth Day resolution to plant an avocado tree (or any tree for that matter) in your backyard, in a neighbor’s front porch or a communal area (perhaps a park)? Inhabitat.com has a great article called HOW TO: Grow an Avocado Tree from an Avocado Pit to help you achieve this Earth Day resolution.

2. Pick Up the Pollution
It seems like a simple thing to do, but you would be surprised about the amount of litter that you would find dispersed around a neighborhood, a highway, a public park, a beach or any other environment that was not meant to look like a giant heap of garbage. This year, why don’t you make an Earth Day resolution to help make your habitat a clean place to live by picking up more trash.
Take a page out of the book of the city of Madison, WI. The City of Madison has encouraged their citizens to make it a fun challenge to clean up their parks, beaches, and neighborhoods for this year’s Earth Day. Participate in the Earth Day Challenge or challenge yourself to make one in your own neighborhood.

3. E-Cycle
Did you just get a new smart phone?! Oh, wait…that model is seven years out of style, but you should not throw it in the garbage. As a matter of fact, you should not throw away all of your unwanted or nonfunctional electronics in the garbage. This year, make an Earth Day resolution to properly recycle your old electronics. E-CycleEnvironmental.com is a great resource to find out how to properly dispose of electronics, batteries, light bulbs, and other miscellaneous items to live in a greener environment.

Photo by: jurvetson

Don’t limit yourself to only three Earth Day resolutions this year. Heck, why not go for five, ten, one thousand, or as many as you want to in order to make a vital impact to live in a greener habitat. If you come up with any other awesome Earth Day resolutions, let me know about it in the comments below!