Happy Earth Week! Earth Day is a day to thank our planet for its beauty and preserve it for generations to come. It's also essentially Earth’s birthday, if you want to think about it that way too. There are plenty of ways to give back to the Earth throughout the week and hopefully throughout the year.
Plant a tree - Trees capture carbon in the air, thus lessening the impacts of ozone depletion and mitigating climate change. They also add a beautiful ambiance to a front or back yard.
Composting - Collecting all those food scraps for plant fertilizer and composting them naturally prevents them from going to landfills. If they end up in a landfill, they would be placed in the ground without aeration, causing them to release methane, which is the second leading gas that contributes to atmospheric warming.
Bicycle - Bicycling, both for leisure and transportation, releases no emissions into our Earth. Consider switching to biking to reduce your carbon footprint and help out the Earth. There are plenty of new bike lanes going up all around theCity of Baltimore, making it never a better time than now to start pedaling.
Get Outside - This one does not reduce emissions or the harmful impacts of climate change, but it is certainly just asimportant. Going for a walk or sitting outside and just enjoying the fresh air is at the core of what Earth Day is allabout. Go see some cherry blossoms bloom or watch birds sing atop the trees; nature is just outside your door waiting for you.
Clean up trash - Throughout the city, trash builds up on roads and sidewalks, which is both a hazard and unsightly. Trash contributes to water and air pollution if not correctly handled. By recycling plastics and properly disposing of trash, thereis a significant reduction in emissions, allowing for cleaner water and air.
The Maryland Book Bank does its part for Earth Day too. Firstly, all the books that can’t be given to a new family, teacher, or child are recycled. In total, the Book Bank diverts about 5 tons of waste away from the landfill each year. That much recycled paper weighs as much as an African Elephant! The Book Bank also advocates for the planet by setting up a section in the warehouse with books just about the planet, so teachers and parents who come in to collect books can pick up some that will help educate on the impacts of climate change, animals, and Earth systems.Finally, the Book Mobile, which delivers books to schools throughout the City of Baltimore, is a completely electric vehicle. By using an electric vehicle for deliveries, the Book Bank is making a conscious effort to reduce its carbon footprint and air emissions.
As Barack Obama said, “We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it.” So do something for the planet and celebrate its beauty; today, this week, and every week!
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