Time to get your planetary party on!
Saturday is Earth Day, an occasion to consider all that’s wonderful about this celestial orb we share, as well as how we can ensure its natural treasures are around to amaze and inspire countless future generations.
Every time we take note of Hinsdale’s lovely tree-lined streets, sprawling green parks and its preserved ancestral prairie areas (you know about those, right?), we should give thanks.
Each week we try to deliver information on ways to soak in the area’s natural amenities, whether at soul-nourishing spots like nearby Fullersburg Woods and Waterfall Glen in DuPage County, or just across the county line at beautiful Bemis Woods or the enlightening delights of the Little Red Schoolhouse.
Hinsdaleans care a great deal about promoting a thriving environment, embracing recycling and repurposing efforts to reduce piling up landfills, planting gardens to support pollinators and walking or riding bikes when possible for short trips (or swapping the gas guzzler for an EV) to help keep our air clean. Many are participating in today’s Park Clean-Up day with the village’s parks and recreation department.
For this year’s observance, http://www.EarthDay.org is calling on people to rally behind the theme of “Invest In Our Planet,” a vision aimed at highlighting the importance of dedicating one’s time, resources and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues. To that goal, the organization has offered 52 actions and tips to make a difference, one to lean into every week of the year.
They range from easy to rather sacrificial, and we won’t list them all here. But just about all of us can do something more than we’re doing to help the cause. Here are 10 to consider:
• Turn off the lights when not in use.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
• Create a compost pile.
• Use a reusable water bottle, and switch to reusable bags.
• Notify your utility and ask for “green” renewable power.
• Encourage the use of reusable utensils, dishes and trays.
• Skip single-use plastic packaging and buy glass & paper products.
• Buy locally sourced food.
• Support organic food and regenerative farming.
• Practice a simple act of green everyday.
For an entertaining way mark the day, head over to the Celebrate Mother Earth! event Saturday at The Forge, 1001 Main St. in Lemont. Festivities kick off at 10 a.m., including a hug-a-tree nature trail, vendor village, activities for kids, workshops for all ages, conservation projects, live entertainment, food trucks and more.
Admission is free; a $5 donation per person is encouraged, and a few of the activities have a fee. All donations go toward restoration and community-focused projects in the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area. Register at http://www.forgeparks.com.
While the topic of climate change can be divisive, most of us can agree on taking steps to cultivate a healthier planet.
If so moved, you can even reach out to your representatives in Congress calling for legislation that reduces emissions through clean and renewable energy sources, encourages efficient farming practices and increases support for electric vehicles.
Let’s work for our planet’s sustainable future.
