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The "Earthrise" photograph that inspired the first Earth Day. NASA / Bill Anders
For EcoWatchers, April usually means one thing: Earth Day. But how do you celebrate the environment while staying home to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus?
<p>Luckily, the <a href="https://www.earthday.org/" target="_blank">Earth Day Network</a> has you covered. The organization <a href="https://www.earthday.org/press-release/coronavirus-announcement-digital-earth-day/" target="_blank">announced in March</a> that it would celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with its first ever Digital Earth Day April 22.</p>
<p>"At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. Amid the recent outbreak, we encourage people to rise up but to do so safely and responsibly — in many cases, that means using our voices to drive action online rather than in person," Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers said.</p><p>Here are three things you can do from the safety of your home to celebrate the Earth throughout April.</p>
1. Join EARTHRISE
<p>On Earth Day itself, the Earth Day Network is organizing 24 hours of "global digital mobilization" called <a href="https://www.earthday.org/coronavirus-drives-digital-striking-movement/" target="_blank">EARTHRISE</a> after the famous picture of our planet from space that inspired millions to agitate for the first Earth Day in 1970.</p><p>"The coronavirus pandemic does not shut us down," the organizers wrote. "Instead, it reminds us of what's at stake in our fight for the planet. If we don't demand change, our current state will become the new normal — a world where pandemics and extreme weather events span the globe, leaving already marginalized and vulnerable communities even more at risk."</p><p>You can participate using the hashtags #EarthDay2020 and #EARTHRISE.</p><p>The Earth Day Network is asking participants to speak up for the planet, vote for leaders who promote environmental policies or contact their representatives and educate others about the importance of taking care of the Earth. It is also organizing 24 actions that you can take from your home, one for each hour of the day.</p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" id="twitter-embed-1244671199717871618" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1244671199717871618&created_ts=1585587713.0&screen_name=EarthDayNetwork&text=When+life+gives+you+lemons%2C+make+lemonade%21%0A%0ATo+amid+the+COVID-19+outbreak%2C+we+are+switching+to+a+digital+%23EarthDay.%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FmVF7vx1j1J&id=1244671199717871618&name=Earth+Day+Network" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac14aa56ede490310290063150cea127"></iframe>2. Take the Earth Day Daily Challenge
<p>You don't have to wait for April 22 to start making a difference. The Earth Day Network is also organizing <a href="https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-challenge/" target="_blank">22 daily challenges</a> you can take to fight the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> from lockdown.</p><p>The challenge began <a href="https://twitter.com/EarthDayNetwork/status/1245413619636019200" target="_blank">April 1</a> with a "plastic audit". Simply look for ways you can reduce your plastic usage and share your techniques.</p><p>Yesterday's challenge was to <a href="https://twitter.com/EarthDayNetwork/status/1245780953622069249" target="_blank">"compost creatively"</a> if you can't use all the food you brought home in your latest grocery store haul.</p><p>You can follow @earthdaynetwork's social media channels for each day's challenge.</p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" id="twitter-embed-1245413619636019200" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1245413619636019200&created_ts=1585764720.0&screen_name=EarthDayNetwork&text=%23Challenge+Day+1+-+Do+a+plastic+audit+%0A%0AWe+know+avoiding+plastic+completely+is+almost+impossible%2C+but+you+can+still%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FPC7MnjnldA&id=1245413619636019200&name=Earth+Day+Network" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fc070ae37babee43660310efcdc00d48"></iframe>3. Be a Citizen Scientist
<p>You don't need a fancy laboratory or a white coat to be a scientist. All you need is a mobile device.</p><p>As of April 1, the Earth Challenge 2020 mobile app has been made available at the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.earthday.ec2020app" target="_blank">Android</a> or <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earth-challenge-2020/id1494183525" target="_blank">Apple</a> app stores. You can download it now and begin collecting data on plastic pollution and air quality.</p><p>That data will be part of <a href="https://earthchallenge2020.earthday.org/" target="_blank">Earth Challenge 2020</a>, a joint initiative from the Earth Day Network, the U.S Department of State's Eco-Capitals Forum and The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to create what they say will be the "world's most accessible and transparent citizen science database portal ever created."</p><p>The database <a href="https://earthchallenge2020.earthday.org/pages/research-community" target="_blank">will include</a> more than one billion data points combining existing citizen scientist projects with the information submitted via the app. The priorities for the challenge were globally crowdsourced in 2017 in a call for the "most important questions in human and environmental health."</p><p>The call turned up six focus areas:</p><ul><li>Plastics</li><li>Air Quality</li><li>Insects</li><li>Climate</li><li>Food Security</li><li>Water Quality</li></ul><p>The challenge will begin with plastics and air quality data, and move on to all six areas over the course of 2020.</p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" id="twitter-embed-1245456176206266368" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1245456176206266368&created_ts=1585774866.0&screen_name=EarthDayNetwork&text=Are+you+excited+to+be+a+part+of+our+%23EarthChallenge2020+Research+Community%3F%0A%0ATogether+we%27ll+record+over+1+billion+d%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Ft5iHrkPBhj&id=1245456176206266368&name=Earth+Day+Network" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="05e869bb3d47daeff4014787bb37a3fb"></iframe><p>Citizen science is a fitting way to celebrate Earth Day because the original Earth Day was all about mobilizing around science, one of its key organizers Denis Hayes pointed out.</p><p>"When 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day, they believed the warnings of scientists, as did the U.S. Congress," Hayes said. "In a decade of bipartisan support for science, Congress passed a set of forward-thinking laws that protected human health, species and the planet."</p><p>Now, governments and people have a chance to follow that example in response both to the climate crisis and COVID-19.</p><p>"Our current pandemic demonstrates that governments must embrace science early. As we see now, many governments were slow to respond or even indifferent about the science of the coronavirus pandemic," Rogers said. "But the last few weeks have also demonstrated that our society, even at the international level, is capable of mass shifts across all sectors to meet a crisis head-on. We must apply the same scale and urgency of our response to climate change."</p>
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A child playing with a ball from planet earth during Extinction Rebellion rally on April 18 in London, England. Brais G. Rouco / Barcroft Media / Getty Images
Earth Day 2019 just passed, but planning has already begun for Earth Day 2020, and it's going to be a big deal.
<p>The <a href="https://www.earthday.org/" target="_blank">Earth Day Network</a> announced on this year's Earth Day that the next year's celebration, which coincides with the day's 50th anniversary, will focus on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-action" target="_self">climate action</a>.</p>
<p>"<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_self">Climate change</a> represents the biggest challenge to humanity's future and the systems that make our world habitable," Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers said in a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/demand-for-climate-action-announced-as-earth-day-2020-theme-for-50th-anniversary-year-300835449.html" target="_blank">press release</a>. "2020 has to be the year of transformative change that seizes the positive action underway and makes it bigger and bolder worldwide."</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" id="twitter-embed-1120326987632058368" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1120326987632058368&created_ts=1555941743.0&screen_name=ClimateOfGavin&text=Warming+since+the+first+%23EarthDay%0A%0A%28March%2C+since+April+2019+isn%E2%80%99t+finished+yet.+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FuK6ykO78y7%29+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FrgKNrDqK96&id=1120326987632058368&name=Gavin+Schmidt" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="47AV4S1576661739"></iframe><p>A major report from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change-ipcc-report-2610866229.html" target="_self">released last year</a> found that greenhouse gas emissions needed to fall to 45 percent of 2010 levels in order for the world to meet the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_self">Paris agreement</a> goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. That means world leaders now have 11 years to make changes that the IPCC said had "no documented historic precedent."</p><p>Ahead of its 50th anniversary, the Earth Day Network seeks to encourage change through a series of initiatives.</p><p>1. <a href="https://www.earthday.org/campaigns/voteearth/" target="_blank">Vote Earth</a>: In 2019 and 2020, there will be more than 60 major national elections around the world. This initiative encourages voters to engage with candidates on climate and vote for the would-be leaders with the best environmental policies. It also seeks to register one million voters around Earth Day 2020.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="392e36c8404d2112059b87fa2f16cda3"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UqWyselcO88?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>2. <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2442065-1&h=2525807860&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earthday.org%2Fearthchallenge2020getinvolvedii%2F&a=Earth+Challenge+2020" target="_blank">Earth Challenge 2020</a>: This initiative seeks to organize the largest ever citizen scientist initiative to report on environmental health. An Earth Challenge 2020 app will be launched at the start of the year.<br></p><p>3.<a href="https://www.earthday.org/take-action/" target="_blank"> Billion Acts of Green</a>: The network will update its landmark Billion Acts of Green program with a goal of 3.5 billion environmentally-friendly acts completed and logged in 2020.</p><p>4. <a href="https://www.earthday.org/campaigns/greatglobalcleanup/" target="_blank">Great Global Cleanup</a>: The Earth Day Network plans to learn from cleanups in U.S. cities this year to scale up towards what it hopes will be the largest environmental volunteer event ever, coordinating people around the world to pick up billions of pieces of trash.</p><p>Denis Hayes, the lead organizer of the original Earth Day, told reporters at the National Press Club Monday that he was optimistic about Earth Day 2020, and the planet's overall future.</p><p>"2020 will be for climate what 1970 was for other environmental issues," Hayes said, as <a href="https://thinkprogress.org/earth-day-youth-activists-ocasio-cortez-aff7e685b985/" target="_blank">ThinkProgress reported</a>.</p><p>Heyes said he was especially encouraged by the youth activism around climate, such as the school strikes inspired by Swedish teenager <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/greta-thunberg" target="_self">Greta Thunberg</a> and the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sunrise-movement" target="_self">Sunrise Movement</a>'s push for a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/green-new-deal" target="_self">Green New Deal</a> in the U.S. Hayes acknowledged that President <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/donald-trump" target="_self">Donald Trump</a> had "appointed the two worst EPA administrators in history," but thought the tide would turn against his pro-<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil-fuel</a> policies.</p><p>"I'm confident that the end is in sight. When conditions are right, people are ready to demand change, and America can turn on a dime," Hayes said, as <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/earth-day-founder-optimistic-about-future/4886862.html" target="_blank">Voice of America reported</a>.</p><p>This was partly born out by Hayes own experience with the original Earth Day, which he helped organize when he was just 25 years old, ThinkProgress reported.</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" id="twitter-embed-1120350080320581637" src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1120350080320581637&created_ts=1555947248.0&screen_name=NBCNewsArchives&text=Denis+Allen+Hayes%2C+an+advocate+of+solar+power%2C+left+Harvard+after+being+selected+by+Senator+Gaylord+Nelson+to+organ%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FWHfYrQUb6c&id=1120350080320581637&name=NBC+News+Archives" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3QU6C61576661739"></iframe><p>After 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day, "powerful laws that had been unthinkable in 1969 became unstoppable by the end of 1970," he said.<br></p><p>Those laws included the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.</p>
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'Morning In The Mighty Redwoods.' David Ruddock
Today is Earth Day, which means it is also the moment you have all been waiting for: The moment when EcoWatch announces the winner of our second-ever photo contest!
<p>The theme for this year's Earth Day is "<a href="https://www.earthday.org/campaigns/endangered-species/earthday2019/" target="_blank">Protect Our Species</a>," so EcoWatch asked readers to submit their best photos of the creatures that inhabit this Earth. We then assembled a crack team of activists, writers and photographers to judge the entries we received: <a href="https://www.bluespherefoundation.org/" target="_blank">Blue Sphere Foundation</a> Campaign Manager Candace Crespi, <a href="http://theexplorersjournal.org" target="_blank">The Explorers Journal</a> editor Angela Schuster and photographer and new media artist Diane Boswell.</p>
<p>And the winner is ... David Ruddock, for his captivating photo <em>Morning In The Mighty Redwoods</em>.</p><p>Ruddock is a retired photographer and graphic designer who lives with his wife Susie in Mckinleyville, California. Their town is centrally located to several Old Growth coastal Redwood groves, and the couple take advantage of that fact at least once a month.</p><p>"We stood beside our first Redwood on a camping trip about fifteen years ago and decided then and there that when we retired, we would do so in an area where we could walk among them often," Ruddock wrote in an email. "John Steinbeck once wrote, 'The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always.'"</p><p>Asked about the inspiration for this particular photo, Ruddock answered he "felt the scene portrayed the silence and sense of awe you receive from the Redwoods."</p><p>The judges agreed.</p><p>"There are of course many photos that were close but that one seemed to evoke an emotion in the photograph about the awareness of a unique species," Boswell said in an email explaining the judges' choice.</p><p>She said the judges based their decision both on technical elements like composition, lighting, clarity and image quality, as well as on how well the image conveyed "an emotional connection to nature and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" target="_self">conservation</a>."</p><p>"We noticed that in the Redwoods photo the rays of light on the subject created dimension and the small figure of the hiker gave it a feeling of scale," Boswell said.</p><p>Ruddock will receive a $250 Patagonia eGift Card as his prize.</p><p>The second runner-up was the photo <em>Yellow Warbler on Frozen Dogwood Tree</em> by John Strange.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQwOTE0Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzk0MjMzMn0.-JtMKnWKfRzozr8HVhWVAmo_gtxQdjWVUiI4YW1SYGw/img.jpg?width=980" id="f431a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="93da3ebdeeeb143c81aaa9df584d1530" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
'Yellow Warbler on Frozen Dogwood Tree.'
John Strange
<p>Strange is a 17-year-old student from North Carolina. He snapped the photograph in a lucky moment.</p><p>"I was out right then because I love to photograph the local <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> to the point were I spend most of my free time out with my camera. The wildlife I photograph is my passion and my inspiration," Strange said in an email.</p><p>That passion meant he was ready to capture a unique situation.</p><p>"This bird is rare in my area, as is the snow that we had had during the time I took this photograph. When taken I immediately loved this photograph because of the beautiful yellow bird juxtaposed against the uniform purplish background of the dogwood tree encased in ice," Strange wrote.</p><p>Boswell also praised to the contrast between the yellow bird and the gray background. She said the photo captured the vulnerability of nature.</p><p>"It brings awareness to the importance of how all our decisions in protecting the environment are important for the most delicate to survive," she said.</p>This is EcoWatch's second photo contest. The winner of our first contest, held in honor of Thanksgiving 2018, was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dakotaltman/" target="_blank">Dakota Altman</a> of Lincoln, Nebraska for his <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/ecowatch-photo-contest-winner-2620896084.html" target="_self">mesmerizing image</a> of a morning sunlight caught in a spider's web.
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Wandering Albatrosses on Prion Island, South Georgia Island, Antarctica. Paul Souders / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images Plus
The theme for today's Earth Day is "Protect Our Species," so Google has gotten in on the celebration with a doodle that celebrates the amazing biodiversity of life on earth.
<p>The doodle presents illustrations and facts about six unique species that represent a variety of different life forms.</p><p>"The last thing I wanted to do was feature animals based on their cuteness or how they might appeal in some way to my mammalian sensibilities," lead artist Kevin Laughlin <a href="https://www.google.com/doodles/earth-day-2019" target="_blank">said</a>. "We tried to focus on having a good range of organisms from around the globe that all had an extra special unique quality or earthly superlative."</p>
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<p>The featured species are:</p><ol><li>The wandering albatross, which has the widest wingspan of any bird.</li><li>The coastal redwood, which is the tallest tree in the world.</li><li><em>Paedophryne amauensis</em>, which is both the smallest frog and the smallest vertebrate in the world.</li><li>The Amazon water lily, which is one of the world's largest aquatic plants.</li><li>The coelacanth, a rare type of fish that is one of the oldest living creatures in the world, dating back to 407-million years ago.</li><li>The deep cave springtail, a hexapod that is one of the deepest-living animals on earth.</li></ol><p>Laughlin said he learned a lot about earth's amazing species while researching the doodle.</p><p>"Apparently scientists were able to coax deep cave springtails with a bit of cheese," Laughlin said. "So we're not so different from these little hexapods, after all!"</p><p>Laughlin said he hoped his work would inspire a sense of wonder about the earth and its creatures.</p><p>"How often does one take a moment to contemplate a tiny critter that lives in the bowels of a cave in Georgia? All life is incredible and worth celebrating," he said.</p><p>The reason for this year's Earth Day theme, however, is that so much of that incredible life is disappearing.</p><p>"Unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of nature and, as a result, the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction since we lost the dinosaurs more than 60 million years ago," the <a href="https://www.earthday.org/" target="_blank">Earth Day Network</a> wrote. "But unlike the fate of the dinosaurs, the rapid extinction of species in our world today is the result of human activity."</p><p>Since Earth Day 2018, some alarming studies have revealed the extent of human destruction. Scientists <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/earths-wildlife-wiped-out-since-1970-2616534688.html" target="_self">calculated in October, 2018</a> that 60 percent of bird, reptile, mammal and fish populations had been killed offt by human activity since 1970. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/insects-extinction-endangered-species-2628624050.html" target="_self">Another study</a> released in February of this year warned that more than 40 percent of insects could go extinct within a few decades and 100 percent could be lost within a century.</p><p>Major factors driving extinction are <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_self">climate change</a>, habitat loss including <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/deforestation" target="_self">deforestation</a>, pollution, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pesticides" target="_self">pesticide</a> use, unsustainable <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture" target="_self">agriculture</a> and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching" target="_self">poaching</a>, according to the Earth Day Network.</p><p>"The good news is that the rate of extinctions can still be slowed, and many of our declining, threatened and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered species</a> can still recover if we work together now to build a united global movement of consumers, voters, educators, faith leaders, and scientists to demand immediate action," the group said.</p><p>Here are the actions they recommended:<br></p><ol><li>Educate yourself and others about the rate and causes of extinction.</li><li>Work towards policies that protect species.</li><li>Organize a global movement to protect nature.</li><li>Promote individual actions that protect wildlife like going <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vegan" target="_self">vegan</a> or gardening and farming without pesticides and herbicides.</li></ol>
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fstop123 / iStock / Getty Images Plus
At EcoWatch, our team knows that changing personal habits and taking actions that contribute to a better planet is an ongoing journey. Earth Day, happening on April 22, is a great reminder for all of us to learn more about the environmental costs of our behaviors like food waste or fast fashion.
To offer readers some inspiration this Earth Day, our team rounded up their top picks for films to watch. So, sit back and take in one of these documentary films this Earth Day. Maybe it will spark a small change you can make in your own life.
<p><em><br/></em></p>
<p><em>Irma Omerhodzic, Associate Editor</em></p><p><strong>Film:</strong> The True Cost</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> Filmmaker Andrew Morgan's documentary <em>The True Cost</em> takes an eye-opening journey that explores the horrific impacts fast fashion has on human beings and the planet. Consumer demand for cheap and "fast" clothing comes with a different kind of cost. Light is shed on labor-rights abuses in developing countries, far-reaching environmental pollution and the tragic connection between the fashion industry's demand for genetically modified cotton and high suicide rates among Indian farmers.</p><p><strong>Staff Note:</strong> As organic and local labels on food become more and more important to people, I hope the same awareness can become more prevalent for perhaps a pair of blue jeans. I recommend this film with the hope that this documentary leaves you thinking about the brands you buy and the environmental costs of fast fashion. You can watch <em>The True Cost</em> on <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80045667" target="_blank">Netflix</a>.</p>
<p><em>Olivia Rosane, Freelance Reporter</em></p><p><strong>Film: </strong>The Gleaners and I</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> Pioneering French director Agnès Varda passed away last month at the age of 90. Her 2000 documentary <em>The Gleaners and I</em> follows France's modern gleaners, from unemployed caravan-dwellers who gather potatoes discarded after the harvest to urban dumpster divers, and artists who make work from discarded trash. Without making any overt statements, the film exposes the contemporary culture of food and material waste that its subjects all find large and small ways of resisting.</p><p><strong>Staff Note:</strong> Watching this haunting, playful movie is the perfect way to honor Varda's legacy, while celebrating the spirit of Earth Day. Varda is honest about the environmental and human consequences of the waste she documents, but her camera work also shares her subjects' delight in the things they find. The film slyly models a better way to live, one that seeks and finds value in all things. "They're still very much alive," artist Hervé tells Varda of the found objects he uses in his work. "All you have to do is give them a second chance." You can purchase or rent the film on YouTube or GooglePlay, or stream it on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gleaners-I-English-Subtitled/dp/B00WVOQA5W/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Gleaners+and+I&qid=1555502516&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</p>
<p><em>Chris McDermott, News Editor</em></p><p><strong>Film:</strong> Grizzly Man</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> For 13 years, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> activist Timothy Treadwell lived among grizzly bears in the Alaska wilderness. The exuberant and self-professed "kind warrior" shot more than 100 hours of video to celebrate and advocate for the animals he believed were endangered by poachers. Werner Herzog's documentary follows Treadwell's seemingly extraordinary sense of kinship with the bears, which ends tragically with a fatal attack by one he had grown over the years to consider his "good friend."</p><p><strong>Staff Note:</strong> This beautiful and disturbing film, available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Man-Werner-Herzog/dp/B007FNZW6W" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, YouTube and iTunes, highlights one of the main challenges of wildlife <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> — must we consider animals "friends" in order to value their lives, or can we coexist at a healthy distance, with fear and respect? Despite Treadwell's conviction that he had bonded with the "misunderstood" bears, Herzog said, "I see only the overwhelming indifference of nature." I often remember this film while on <a href="https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7031831/black-bear-wilderness-area-trail" target="_blank">nature hikes</a> in the habitats of black bears and alligators.</p>
<p><em><br>Tara Bracco, Managing Editor</em></p><p><strong>Film:</strong> Blue Gold: World Water Wars</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> Directed by Sam Bozzo, this award-winning documentary released in 2008 is based on the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Gold-Fight-Corporate-Worlds/dp/1565848136" target="_blank"><em>Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water</em></a>. The film includes interviews with the book's authors, Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, as well as water experts, activists, and citizens in communities affected by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/water">water</a> privatization. <em>Blue Gold</em> explains why we are running out of water, why we must ensure that water is a human right and not a commodity, and what we can do about water scarcity.</p><p><strong>Staff Note:</strong> We all need water to live. This film is informative in many ways, including its emphasis on who owns and controls our water, and what that means for our future. "Profit is made out of the running of, and the delivery of, water to people and to communities. Those that have the ability to pay will have access to the water. Those who do not have the ability to pay will go without," says Clarke in the film. "Therefore it's a life and death situation." Watch the film on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Gold-World-Water-Wars/dp/B002PBP8HW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=blue+gold&qid=1555645032&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> to learn more about this important issue.</p>
<p><em>Jordan Simmons, Social Media Manager</em></p><p><strong>Film:</strong> What the Health</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> <em>What the Health</em>, the sequel to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/cowspiracy-exposes-the-truth-about-animal-agriculture-1881961982.html" target="_self"><em>Cowspiracy</em></a>, exposes the corruption in our current public health crisis. <a href="https://www.who.int/diabetes/global-report/en/" target="_blank">350 million people worldwide</a> have diabetes, and in the U.S. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/types.htm" target="_blank">one out of four deaths</a> are from cancer. Yet, as writer and producer Kip Anderson points out, many chronic illnesses can be prevented and in some cases reversed, but these solutions seem to be kept secret. In a behind the scenes look, Anderson approaches some of the most trusted non-profits such as the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society and uncovers the answers as to who is behind the status quo of a system that keeps people sick.</p><p><strong>Staff Note:</strong> The most shocking exposé is when Anderson interviews the American Diabetes Association and asks why <a href="http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/recipes/2016-02-bacon-wrapped-shrimp.html" target="_blank">recipes</a> containing red and processed meat are listed on their <a href="https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/" target="_blank">website</a>. Anderson points out studies that prove only one serving per day <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3483430/" target="_blank">will increase risk</a> for diabetes by 51 percent. The adventure this mind-opening film undergoes can help us all to more positive health outcomes. Find the film on <a href="https://www.netflix.com/" target="_blank">Netflix</a>.</p>
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Update: The window for photo submissions has ended. The winner will be announced this Monday, April 22.
Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22nd. The official theme of Earth Day 2019 is 'Protect Our Species.' In honor of Earth Day, EcoWatch has kicked off a second photo contest. Show us what 'Protect Our Species' means to you. Maybe there's a tree you've always loved, or perhaps it's a photo of the bird you adore that always visits your yard. We're excited to see what species means a lot to you. Capture a moment and send it our way!
<p>Submit your photo to <a href="mailto:bautista@ecowatch.com" target="_blank">bautista@ecowatch.com</a> with the subject line "ECOWATCH EARTH DAY PHOTO CONTEST" by April 15th for a chance to win a $250 Patagonia eGift Card and to have your photo appear on EcoWatch.com. To be considered, submit your photo with the following information:</p><ol class="ee-ol"><li>Name</li><li>Email</li><li>Phone Number</li><li>Photo Submission file (.jpeg file format recommended)</li><li>Caption</li></ol><p>Our judges will choose the winning photo and the winner will be announced on Earth Day, April 22nd. One submission per person.</p><p>All submissions will be evaluated by our panel of judges, who will be announced very soon!</p><p><em>By entering this photo contest you are granting EcoWatch the right to use your photo on our site and our media channels in conjunction with this contest without the written permission of the photographer. Unless otherwise instructed, EcoWatch reserves the right to use photo submissions on our site and in our media channels aside from the contest. If you do not wish to give EcoWatch the rights to use your photo aside from the current photo contest that you are participating in, please let us know within your email submission with the text, "No, I do not want to give EcoWatch the rights to use my photos in other media aside from the current photo contest that I am participating in." </em></p><p>More Contest Details:</p><p>Entry Details</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Photo submissions must be original work taken by the contest entrant.</li><li>By entering this photo contest you are granting EcoWatch the right to use your photo on our site and our media channels in conjunction with this contest without the written permission of the photographer. </li><li>Unless otherwise instructed, EcoWatch reserves the right to use photo submissions on our site and in our media channels aside from the contest.</li><li>The winner's name will be announced alongside the winning photo submission.</li><li>Photos that have already been submitted to other contests currently ongoing or have already won prizes in other contests are not eligible.</li><li>Image files created through any device capable of taking still images, such as smartphones and digital still cameras, will be accepted.</li><li>Color and monochrome images are valid for entry.</li><li>After judging concludes, the winners will be notified by email sent to their listed email address by April 22nd. The Patagonia eGift Card will be sent to the same listed email address. </li></ul><p>Disclaimers</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>EcoWatch reserves the right to void entries that depict brand logos or other intellectual property, whether on electronic signs, posters, or in other forms, or that in its judgment are harmful to public order, go against standards of decency, or are conflicting to the goals of the contest.</li><li>EcoWatch is not responsible for the resolution of legal issues arising from the entrants submitted photos and will not pay any costs thereby incurred.</li><li>EcoWatch does not bear any costs to the entrants that incur by entering the contest.</li><li>Submitted entries may not be withdrawn or returned. </li><li>EcoWatch reserves the right to suspend or postpone the receipt of any or all entries if it is judged that the contest is unable to be run effectively, smoothly, or without affecting the fairness of judging.</li></ul>
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Update: The window for photo submissions has ended. The winner will be announced this Monday, April 22.
EcoWatch is pleased to announce its second photo contest! Earth Day is happening on April 22nd, and this year's theme is "Protect Our Species." With that in mind, we want EcoWatchers to show us your photographs of creatures that inhabit Earth. Send us your best photos of species you value.
<p>Submit your photo to <a href="mailto:bautista@ecowatch.com" target="_blank">bautista@ecowatch.com</a> with the subject line "ECOWATCH EARTH DAY PHOTO CONTEST" by April 15th for a chance to win a $250 Patagonia eGift Card and to have your photo appear on EcoWatch.com. To be considered, submit your photo with the following information:</p><ol class="ee-ol"><li>Name</li><li>Email</li><li>Phone Number</li><li>Photo Submission file (.jpeg file format recommended)</li><li>Caption</li></ol><p>Our judges will choose the winning photo and the winner will be announced on Earth Day, April 22nd. One submission per person.</p><p>All submissions will be evaluated by our panel of judges, who will be announced very soon!</p><p><em>By entering this photo contest you are granting EcoWatch the right to use your photo on our site and our media channels in conjunction with this contest without the written permission of the photographer. Unless otherwise instructed, EcoWatch reserves the right to use photo submissions on our site and in our media channels aside from the contest. If you do not wish to give EcoWatch the rights to use your photo aside from the current photo contest that you are participating in, please let us know within your email submission with the text, "No, I do not want to give EcoWatch the rights to use my photos in other media aside from the current photo contest that I am participating in." </em></p><p>More Contest Details:</p><p>Entry Details</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Photo submissions must be original work taken by the contest entrant.</li><li>By entering this photo contest you are granting EcoWatch the right to use your photo on our site and our media channels in conjunction with this contest without the written permission of the photographer. </li><li>Unless otherwise instructed, EcoWatch reserves the right to use photo submissions on our site and in our media channels aside from the contest.</li><li>The winner's name will be announced alongside the winning photo submission.</li><li>Photos that have already been submitted to other contests currently ongoing or have already won prizes in other contests are not eligible.</li><li>Image files created through any device capable of taking still images, such as smartphones and digital still cameras, will be accepted.</li><li>Color and monochrome images are valid for entry.</li><li>After judging concludes, the winners will be notified by email sent to their listed email address by April 22nd. The Patagonia eGift Card will be sent to the same listed email address. </li></ul><p>Disclaimers</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>EcoWatch reserves the right to void entries that depict brand logos or other intellectual property, whether on electronic signs, posters, or in other forms, or that in its judgment are harmful to public order, go against standards of decency, or are conflicting to the goals of the contest.</li><li>EcoWatch is not responsible for the resolution of legal issues arising from the entrants submitted photos and will not pay any costs thereby incurred.</li><li>EcoWatch does not bear any costs to the entrants that incur by entering the contest.</li><li>Submitted entries may not be withdrawn or returned. </li><li>EcoWatch reserves the right to suspend or postpone the receipt of any or all entries if it is judged that the contest is unable to be run effectively, smoothly, or without affecting the fairness of judging.</li></ul>
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Donald Trump boards Air Force One while protecting himself from the rain on Feb. 27, 2018.
The first Earth Day helped create the system of regulations, from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts, that the U.S. depends upon to protect its air, water and wildlife.
But President Donald Trump celebrated the 48th Earth Day by defending his administration's efforts to rollback regulations, arguing that the rollbacks are actually better for the environment.
<p>"We know that it is impossible for humans to flourish without clean air, land, and water. We also know that a strong, market-driven economy is essential to protecting these resources," he said in a <a href="https://publicpool.kinja.com/subject-presidential-message-on-earth-day-2018-1825451989" target="_blank">statement</a> released Sunday. </p><p>"For this reason, my Administration is dedicated to removing unnecessary and harmful regulations that restrain economic growth and make it more difficult for local communities to prosper and to choose the best solutions for their environment," the statement further asserted. </p><p>The message tried to cast the administration's rollbacks as beneficial to the environment, because they would boost the economy and the economy would help the environment. However, the statement did not explain how or why a strong economy would protect the environment. </p><p>In fact, many critics have noted that the Trump administration's environmental policies favor industry at the expense of natural systems and public health. </p><p>A <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-air-pollution-lawsuit-2554061360.html" target="_self">March</a> study by the Environmental Integrity Project found that the EPA's decision to reverse the "once in always in" rule, which held that polluters once designated as "major" would always face stricter regulations, could allow just 12 major polluters in the Midwest to generate four times the amount of toxic <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" target="_self">air pollution</a>. </p><p>Also in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pruitt-wetlands-water-protection-2556457650.html" target="_self">March</a>, EPA head <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scott-pruitt" target="_self">Scott Pruitt</a> told employees to give him the final sign-off on whether development or industrial projects threatened wetlands, rivers and streams, a move that environmentalists said would allow Pruitt to bypass protections to benefit corporate interests. </p><p>A recent <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/proposed-doi-rule-change-2559389967.html" target="_self">rule change</a> proposed by the Department of Interior would also favor industry at the expense of threatened species by getting rid of the "blanket rule" that gives all species listed as threatened the same protections as endangered species. </p><p>Tellingly, Trump's Earth Day statement, like his <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-president-donald-j-trump-earth-day/" target="_blank">2017 remarks</a>, did not mention <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_self">climate change</a>.</p><p>Democrats used Earth Day to state their opposition to Trump's environmental agenda.</p><p>"The anti-climate agenda coming out of this admin is wrongheaded. The majority of Americans want to protect the environment and keep our air and water clean," Senator Kamala Harris tweeted, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2018/04/23/the-energy-202-trump-and-democrats-marked-earth-day-very-differently/5ada67a330fb043711926807/?utm_term=.2d3e4cc2100e" target="_blank">The Washington Post reported</a>. </p><p>Others singled out Pruitt in particular. </p><p>"The best way to celebrate<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EarthDay?src=hash" target="_blank"> #EarthDay</a>: Call on Scott Pruitt to resign," Senator Chris Van Hollen tweeted, according to The Washington Post.</p>
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If you want to make a positive change this Earth Day but don't know where to start, one of best things you can do is take an honest look at your environmental footprint. For instance, how much water are you wasting? How much plastic are you throwing out? How much planet-warming carbon are you producing?
Luckily, there are many online calculators that crunch through your consumption habits. While the final tally might be daunting, it's the first step in living more sustainably.
<p>
Check out
<a href="http://www.footprintcalculator.org/" target="_blank">this one</a> from the Global Footprint Network. You answer a handful questions such as "How often do you eat animal-based products?" and "Compared to your neighbors, how much trash do you generate?" on sliding scales.
</p><p>
At the end of the survey, it shows your personal
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/earth-overshoot-day">Earth Overshoot Day</a> (the exact day you've used more resources from nature than Earth can regenerate in one year) and how many planets we'll need if everybody lived like you.
</p><p>
Here are my results. I try to live lightly as I can, but I'll admit this picture is not pretty.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU4MTMzNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTQ0NzcxNH0.Eesk0ZzkXjB9ry8hiEVlJcHVltdD97OEkgiJff_X8LI/img.png?width=980" id="5f143" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d0b66d35635d101bc4844d6d2b3b2a49" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>
When I explored the details of the report, it shows that I have an Ecological Footprint of 3.2 global hectares (gha), which is the amount of land required to sustain my use of natural resources.
</p><p>
<span></span>"Mobility" represented the biggest chunk of my consumption habits, likely because my city has zero public transportation options and I fly a lot.
</p><p>
One's ecological impact can vary by location.
<a href="https://www.footprintnetwork.org/2017/01/31/california-size-ecological-footprint-france-states-countries-compare/" target="_blank">According</a> to the Global Footprint Network, the Ecological Footprint for the average American is 8.6 gha, more than double Brazil's average of 3.1 gha and Mexico's average of 2.6 gha.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU4MTM0MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjg5MzU1N30.oZV6cQMJZXhW3xvVEscYLs-R4AQE7W1yJ1cqk44zumM/img.png?width=980" id="9b007" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="19892ed284b678de90bd55423959a620" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>
The results also showed that my carbon footprint is about 6.1 metric tons per year, which is much less than 16.4 metric tons of CO2 generated by the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC?view=map" target="_blank">average</a> American, but it still bears improvement.
</p><p>
<span></span>Last year, a widely circulated <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541/meta" target="_blank">study</a> published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, determined four actions that can substantially slash an individual's carbon footprint: eating a plant-based diet, avoiding air travel, living car-free and having smaller families.
</p><p>
Consumption calculators like these are not an exact science, but they do give a pretty good picture—and provide suggestions—on how you can make improvements. So for me, maybe I'll take one less flight this year. Perhaps I'll carpool more often. I'll even dust off the ol' bike!<span></span>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU4MTU3OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5MzM5OTc4MX0.v0laKJtA4fM-2aJio2fxPigXWbQrkGs_DMDeOaGV7Os/img.jpg?width=980" id="0f03a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="457e518c807980e98fb748fbde5d64f9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>
Other consumption calculators dive deeper into specific categories. <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/" target="_blank">This</a> personal greenhouse gas calculator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency comes in the form of an extensively detailed Excel sheet. It considers things like your fuel consumption and even your recycling habits.
</p><p>
<a href="http://www.gracelinks.org/1408/water-footprint-calculator" target="_blank">GRACE's Water Footprint Calculator</a> helps you estimate your daily water use. It not only counts the water from your tap, it also reviews the water it takes to produce the food and products you buy.
</p><p>
And because this year's Earth Day is
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/earth-day-2018-denis-hayes-2561473004.html">focused on the theme of reducing plastic waste</a>, Greenpeace UK has a great <a href="https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/content/plastics-calculator" target="_blank">plastic calculator</a> to see how much of this ubiquitous, biodegradable material you consume.
</p><p>
<span></span>I also really like <a href="http://plasticfootprint.ryanphung.com/" target="_blank">this</a> simple, user-friendly plastic calculator from Plastic Lite Singapore. For instance, the site counts how many plastic bags, drink bottles, disposable utensils and other plastic products you go through in a timeframe of your choosing.
</p><p>
Here are some of my results below. It's very clear that I should do something about all those bread bags. I already save up my empty toothpaste tubes (with the intention of sending them off to
<a href="https://www.terracycle.com/en-US" target="_blank">TerraCycle</a>) but this quiz is likely going to cement my switch to more sustainable products, such as bamboo toothbrushes and refillable laundry soap.
</p><p>
Calculating your environmental footprint can be overwhelming, but we should all do our part to help make Earth Day 2018 count.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU4MTQ4MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5MTgwNjU0Mn0.JkUNeS86qABr9SYn_rDqjMcc0xRhwZudaKxDbAjLP84/img.png?width=980" id="cdd47" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="063403d6aecf9fcb22b91144dd9b9cf3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p>
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Shopping at farmers markets can help minimize your waste.
Earth Day 2018 is focused on the all-important theme of reducing plastic litter and pollution. Of course, we shouldn't just reduce our plastic footprint, we should try to reduce waste in all shapes, sizes and forms. It's said that the average American generates a staggering 4 pounds of trash every day—but you don't have to be part of that statistic.
Here are six entirely manageable tips and tricks to help you cut waste.
<p style="">
<strong>1. BYO (Bring Your Own) </strong>
</p><p style="">We all know we should bring our own bag to the grocery store, but what about bringing your own straw or takeaway container to restaurants? I now make it a habit of toting a "Zero-Waste Kit" with me everywhere so I don't make trash when I'm on the go. As you can see below, it contains essentials like canvas bags, utensils, beverage holders and cloth napkins. Reusable items are staples for a trash-free lifestyle.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU3MjU5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDE1MDY4MH0.b3W6_DfhZYZkpR3BdsLBeG4z5vp4w32pCylUKwyv1MU/img.jpg?width=980" id="c6e1d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2122d7a31c7b9222bb2c5b2ed68092b0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">From left to right. Large canvas bag; a 'tall' size mason jar with sipping lid; water bottle; cloth napkin; glass container with lid; utensils; metal straw; smaller canvas bags for loose items and/or produce.</small>
</p><p>
<strong>2. The "Three Rs" of the environment isn't just a rule, it's a tier</strong>
</p><p style="">
The hierarchy of the eco-refrain "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is key. For instance, switching to a reusable water bottle will help you stop buying <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/bottled-water">single-use plastic ones</a>. Almost all drink bottles are made from virgin, petroleum-based plastic, not recycled material. The vast majority end up in landfills, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">oceans</a> or other bodies of water, where they never actually degrade, but break down into tinier and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics">tinier pieces</a>, potentially causing harm to the natural environment and wildlife. </p><p style="">However, recycling that disposable bottle isn't the best answer either. Recycling itself is an energy-intensive process and has emissions associated with it, too. And, in case you haven't heard, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/china-plastics-recycling-2515630485.html">China is no longer accepting</a> the world's recyclables, leaving recycling centers with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/us-china-foreign-waste-2553215414.html">ever-growing mountains of trash</a>. Simply, we have to find ways to buy less and use less.</p><p>
I'd like to add two more Rs to the list:
</p><ul class="ee-ul">
<li><strong>Refuse.</strong> This R is probably more crucial than "Reduce." For instance, you don't need that paper or plastic bag at check-out; tell your servers "no straw"; refuse to buy things that come in wasteful packaging. </li></ul><ul class="ee-ul">
<li><strong>Repair.</strong> When your clothing gets a tear or your electronics aren't working, try fixing it instead of buying new. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke…</li>
</ul><p>
<strong>3. DIY </strong>
</p><p>
If I had to recommend one "must-have" tool for the home, it would be a high-speed blender. I use it to whip up smoothies, nut milks, soups, sauces, dips and flours. Sure, homemade food is often healthier and cheaper, but it also means I don't have to buy these individual items from the store, cutting down on unnecessary packaging.
</p><p style="">
<span style="background-color: initial;">Many everyday products and cosmetics can be made at home. </span>Check out prominent zero-waste influencer Lauren Singer's "<a href="http://trashisfortossers.com/" target="_blank">Trash is For Tossers</a>" blog and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgjw6tZNyjR_8zIFDsIPpww" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>. Singer—who can remarkably fit four years of trash into a single mason jar—teaches you how to make your own toothpaste, lotion, deodorant and more. (Actually, follow some of these other amazing zero-wasters such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zerowastechef/?hl=en" target="_blank">Anne-Marie Bonneau</a>, <a href="https://www.litterless.com/" target="_blank">Celia Ristow</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zerowasteguy/" target="_blank">Jonathan Levy</a>, who give great ideas and advice on litter-free living.)
</p><p style="">
Is there something you consume a lot of that you can make at home instead? I love kombucha, so instead of paying $4 a bottle at the store, I make my own. I also grow simple foods such as leafy greens and herbs. I know, I know, you don't always have the time or effort to DIY. But if anything, it's a big money saver.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzU3MzM4Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMjkwNTUzOX0._y_DkYlwrgkCWFAr5jt5OJcmqHRyLZ5IWC4jBFd-YGI/img.jpg?width=980" id="d0238" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e99aec014bd074d93b83c54d76462040" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Some easy-to-grow greens and herbs, homemade kombucha in the back.</small>
</p><p>
<strong>4. Look for multipurpose, long-lasting, giant-sized items</strong>
</p><p>
Buy in bulk for things you always need, such as non-perishable foods, laundry detergent, olive oil, toilet paper, etc. Also, the best products have multiple uses, like castile soap. Just a few drops can go a long way in making soap, shampoo, all-purpose cleaner and even fruit wash. I like to buy the biggest version, which lasts for months. And check out this awesome list for<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/apple-cider-vinegar-2043901193.html"> 30+ uses for apple cider vinegar</a>. </p><p>
<strong>5. Think local</strong>
</p><p style="">
Is there a farmers market near you? Or a CSA program you can join? Not only are you supporting community farmers, the food travels fewer miles and often comes without, or in much less, packaging. For instance, the onions and potatoes from my weekly CSA box never come in the unnecessary netting you often find at the supermarket.
</p><p>
<strong>6. Catalogue your waste footprint</strong>
</p><p>
The most important step, really, is to take an honest look at what you throw away. Have you been tossing out a lot of food lately? Try making stock from veggie scraps or start a compost. Does your car guzzle a lot of gasoline? Consider taking public transport if it's available, or investing in an <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-bike">electric bike</a> for shorter distances. Do you go through a lot of clothing? Try second-hand or raid someone else's closet. The point is, there's almost always a more environmentally friendly option.
</p><p>
Keep in mind that cutting your waste might not happen overnight, but it's important to make the effort. The planet will thank you for it.
</p>
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At EcoWatch, every day is Earth Day. We don't just report news about the environment—we aim to make the world a better place through our own actions. From conserving water to cutting waste, here are some tips and tricks from our team on living mindfully and sustainably.
Lorraine Chow, reporter
Favorite Product: Dr. Bronner's Castile soap
It's Earth-friendly, lasts for months and can be used as soap, shampoo, all-purpose cleaner and even mouthwash (but I wouldn't recommend that).
<p><em>Essential Tool:</em> Blender</p><p>It has paid for itself in homemade smoothies, soups, sauces and dips. It also means I don't have to buy those individual foods in unnecessary plastic containers. Blending scraps helps your compost, too!</p><p><em>Earth Day Tip:</em> Skip the straw</p><p>If you feel weird about saying "no straw" at restaurants, just tell the waiter that you're allergic to plastic. </p><p><strong>Olivia Rosane, reporter</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Product</em>: Seventh Generation products</p><p>Their household cleaning and personal care products are a great way to take care of yourself and your home in a way that is safe both for your health and the planet. Plus, their packaging is made from recycled materials and is designed to be recycled again.</p><p><em>Essential Tool:</em> My portable thermos</p><p>I bring it with me when I order coffee or tea to go. That way I don't have to use paper cups, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/21/news/starbucks-recyclable-cups/index.html" target="_blank">which are not actually recyclable</a>, and some coffee shops even offer me a discount for bringing my own container! </p><p><em>Earth Day Tip: </em>Get involved</p><p>In 2012, researcher Brad Werner ran a computer model and found our best shot at combating <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a> was for people to form a mass social movement to demand it. So if you're worried about the environment, reach out to other people in your community and talk about what you can do together to make a difference! </p><p><strong>Tara Bracco, managing editor</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Product:</em> Collapsible water bottle</p><p>Whether you're traveling or running errands, a reusable water bottle that's light and compact will help keep you hydrated and keep you from buying bottled water.</p><p><em>Essential Tool:</em> Backpack</p><p>It's great for carrying your groceries home from the store, and you won't have to use plastic bags. If you have a long shopping list, try a rolling suitcase.</p><p><em>Earth Day Tip:</em> <a href="https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts" target="_blank">Don't waste water</a></p><p>Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. It can save eight gallons of water a day!</p><p><strong>Chris McDermott, news editor</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Product:</em> Clothes from Patagonia</p><p>Patagonia makes a wide range of inspired products and their environmental policies are world class. They use only organic cotton in their clothes, and they even offer trade-ins, recycling and repairs at any time.</p><p><em>Essential Tool:</em> <a href="https://ecoflow.com" target="_blank">RIVER mobile power station</a> and solar generator</p><p>This powerful piece of mind is always ready regardless of storms and travel, for as long as one can tap the sun.</p><p><em>Earth Day Tip</em>: Savor something vegan</p><p>There's no nutritional substitute for fresh, unprocessed food, but food science has revolutionized the taste and texture of vegan alternatives. For the pure delight of it, celebrate with Miyoko's Kitchen vegan cheese, Tofurky Italian sausage (30 grams of protein per serving!) and SoDelicious non-dairy dark chocolate truffle frozen dessert made with cashew milk.</p><p><strong>Irma Omerhodzic, associate editor</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Product:</em> <a href="https://www.livinglibations.com/default/everybody-loves-the-sunshine" target="_blank">Living Libations's Everybody Loves the Sunshine</a></p><p>Unlike sunscreen, this skin product works with the sun and helps absorb the nutrients from the sun's rays while giving skin protection at the same time. </p><p>"Rather than being afraid of the sun, harmonize with it," Living Libations says. Love it! </p><p><em>Essential Tool:</em> My bike</p><p>Not only is this an emission-free way to get around town, but it also gives my body the activity it needs.</p><p><em>Earth Day Tip:</em> Start small</p><p>Your one "small" action isn't small at all. </p><p><strong>Jordan Simmons, social media coordinator</strong></p><p><em>Favorite Product: </em>Sustainable clothing by <a href="https://www.amandasagecollection.com/" target="_blank">Amanda Sage Collection</a></p><p>Designer Lana Gurevich uses patterns from Amanda's transformative paintings to create an ethically and environmentally conscious clothing line. While supporting local businesses and an eco-friendly printing method, the fabrics are made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. </p><p><span></span><em>Essential Tool:</em> My paintbrush and set of mineral paints</p><p>I found the all natural, biodegradable mineral paints at a local farmers' market in the Sacred Valley of Peru. I used to favor working with acrylic paints until I learned about their high carbon footprint and harmful substances. </p><p><em>Earth Day Tip:</em> Honor Mother Earth</p><p>Gather some of Mother Nature's gifts such as stones, beautiful dried leaves and feathers. Set them in a special place in your home to create a unique "altar" to remind you to honor your Mother each and every day. Find peace and blessings in loving our home—the earth.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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