Today markes the 50th anniversary, and local environmental groups had lots of activities planned – and then cancelled due to the COVID crisis. Now, they’ll be going online to spread the gospel of green.
Environmentalists have launched a month-long program called Earth Day Every Day to promote a range of personal actions that could have a collective impact on the health of our planet.
“Adopting a more plant based diet and wasting less food are some top actions that people can take," says Dana Schroeder with the Sustainability Office at UVA. "A plant-based diet doesn’t mean you need to be vegetarian or vegan. You could just be eating one less meat-based meal every week.”
Walk or ride a bike to work more often, Take mass transit, and when it’s time to vacation or attend a conference, consider skipping one flight a year.
This week, the public is invited to take part in a variety of online activities and to celebrate new days of the week.
“We’ve had people sharing their Monday motivation, largely through social media – just talking about ways they’re staying hopeful and connecting with the planet," Schroeder explains. "Teach Yourself Tuesdays have been a good way to encourage people to learn something new.”
And on the weekends there are Fridays for Future, Service Saturdays and Sunny Sundays. Now that they’re celebrating Earth Day virtually, Schroeder hopes to attract interest from around the state. For a link to the schdule of activities go to https://sustainability.virginia.edu/celebrate-earth-day-every-day-our-community
