Earth Day is just around the corner on 22nd April and this year’s theme as always is extremely relevant – Invest in our planet. Once a year, over a billion people from around the world come together to honor and advocate for our planet’s health.
The day is much bigger than attending a rally or taking a stand. It is about education, community, and empowerment. More recently, many have started dedicating the entire month of April, commemorating it as Earth Month to celebrate the strides and continued efforts of the environmental movement.
So, this Earth Month one of the many important ways to help create a healthier planet, be it on a local or at a global scale – community gardens.
Did you know, the 1st Earth Day was held on April 22nd, 1970?
If you are looking to get started with starting a community garden to promote ‘going green’ or to entice people towards a common cause or to bring your community together, there cannot be a better day than Earth Day, isn’t it?
Although at Planting Hopes, we believe every day should be Earth Day, we’re always super excited for the opportunity to think about our impact on the planet in any way we can. Starting small with community gardens is a great way to remind ourselves of the effect we have on our world, how our gardens fit into the larger ecosystems of our communities, and how each decision we make at home can make a big difference.
Let’s see some other ways to celebrate Earth Day and bring our communities closer with each step.
- Plant a tree. Cannot get simpler than this, can it?
Trees clean the air and give off oxygen, and they also add shade and aesthetic interest to your space — could there be any better reasons to plant a tree in your backyard or kitchen garden? At Planting Hopes, we’d started really small with planting easily available vegetables like palak (spinach), tomatoes, green chilies, and dhaniya or coriander because they were readily available.
Over a period of time, we got the entire community and underprivileged women involved and engaged in not just promoting community gardens and adding greenery to our ecosystem, but also helping them self-sustainable lives.
This Earth Day, it does not matter if you have a community garden near you or not, buy a potted plant and plant at home. Get your kids to join in the fun by having them mix compost and soil so that your tree has a habitable spot in your balcony.
Kids will have a fun time checking out plants in your local nursery, selecting the perfect plants, and learning how to care for them every day.
- Grow your own food in your kitchen garden
Most of us live in high-rise apartments and the space we have outside our kitchen or the utility space is tiny. But, what if we said, you could grow your own food even in that small space? Growing your own veggies can help cut down on carbon emissions; you’ll reduce the shipping and transportation needed to get fresh produce from a farm to your local store. Start small by planting seeds or potted herbs in a modest container or a reusable potting bag, then work your way up from there.
Participate in a community garden to share access to healthy produce. If you don’t necessarily have time to commit to gardening, consider supporting your local farmer’s subzi mandi for fresh local goods that the entire family can enjoy!
- Upcycling items is your superpower
Celebrate Earth Day by getting crafty with some old items lying around. Instead of throwing things away while your family takes on Diwali cleaning, consider upcycling things around the home — it’s the perfect opportunity to create decor for your plants.
Transform empty cans into planters for indoor and outdoor plants. Transform old glass bottles that used to contain your beverages and beauty products into propagation stations for plant cuttings. Have old cups? Instead of buying a new planter, carefully drill in drainage holes to create a pot.
- Start composting at home
Composting takes your kitchen scraps and converts them to nutrient-rich food for your soil. You’ll add less trash to the landfill and make your plants happy.
Let’s make our communities and our home a more sustainable and greener planet. Let’s remind ourselves of how important it is to take care of the environment and natural resources we all rely on. Each year, it becomes even more important to learn new ways to protect and preserve our planet for the future. Happy Earth Day everyone!
