6 Ways Families Can Mindfully Celebrate Earth Day Everyday

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How do you celebrate Earth Day? 🌎🙌🎉

Do you plant a tree? Pick up trash? 

Those are wonderful ways to support Mother Earth. 

But we can’t ignore that our planet needs more from us. And it needs it more often than once a year. 

Planet Earth is too valuable to only celebrate on Earth Day. It deserves to be revered every day. And in as many ways as possible. 

So after I attended ShiftCon (an eco-wellness conference for influencers that focuses on food, wellness, health, and sustainability) last year, I knew I wanted to share what I learned. 

Because for those of us who live mindfully, and are deeply in tune with our environment and its resources, we can’t ignore the growing need to preserve them.

And encouraging our children to become more mindful of Mother Earth is a good start to honoring our sacred planet. 

Here are 6 ways to mindfully tap into our senses and breath to help us celebrate Earth Day 365 days a year. 🌎

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1. Give Mother Earth Your Healing Touch 

The smallest deeds make a big difference when practiced by many. And small deeds are sometimes the easiest with kids in tow.

Bring kids’ attention to the importance of caring for our planet by showing them what the littlest hands can do. Help them with tasks like picking up trash; sorting yard waste, recycling trash into separate bins; using reusable water bottles, straws, or bags rather than plastic ones; and turning off the lights and faucet when not in use.

2. Lend Mother Earth Your Ear

Model how to listen to the sounds of nature by taking your meditation outdoors or going for a mindful walk as a family. Plus, walking instead of driving conserves fuel and reduces emissions. 

Since climate change will endure well past our children’s lifetimes (see the effects of global climate change in this article from NASA), our kids will carry on this mission long after we’re gone. So guide them in finding out how they can help. And listen to experts like environmental lawyer Kim Lewand Martin, who I heard speak at ShiftCon. She suggests going Carbon-LESS and shares a carbon footprint calculator so we can discover ways to lower our carbon footprint.

See also: How to Take a Mindful Walk

3. Grant Mother Earth a Deeper Look

As a family, learn what to look for in ingredients lists to keep you and the environment safe. My favorite resource for non-toxic products is Leah Segedie, founder of both ShiftCon and Mamavation, and author of Green Enough: Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier—All Without Driving Your Family Crazy. 

But don’t stop at reading labels. You know the saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees”? (Meaning, we lose sight of the big picture when the details get in the way.) While all of our small actions are meaningful and will matter, learn to look for the big contributors to global climate change. For example, Seaspiracy sheds light on the real culprit of plastic waste in the ocean. And did you know the fashion industry accounts for 10% of global emissions and 20% of global wastewater? Keep looking at the big picture and what we can do to help. 

4. Repay Mother Earth for Our Breath

The next time you take a deep breath, reflect on where our oxygen comes from and how we can add more of it to the world. Plant a tree or a garden either at home or in a community garden. If you don’t have the space or a green thumb, donate to organizations dedicated to planting trees. 

Although the day to celebrate the importance of trees is actually Arbor Day, adding plants and trees is a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day. But don’t mistake the two holidays for the same. Arbor Day is also usually celebrated in April, except for areas where it coincides with the location’s planting times. (Hawaii celebrates it in November, for example.)

5. Appreciate How Mother Earth Feeds Us 

This planet provides the resources and ingredients for our food and drink. As a family, look for ways to take care of it the same way it takes care of us. This can include conserving resources, using renewable energy, and eating less or no animal products. 

We were shocked when we learned vegetarian and vegan diets offer the largest environmental benefits among sustainable dietary patterns. Agriculture, livestock and the land used to raise them produce a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions. And we’d save at least 50% of our fresh water use if we replaced meat and dairy with plant-based foods. If going completely plant-based seems like too huge of a change, start with one meatless meal a week. 

See Also: 7 Easy Plant-Based Family Dinners

6. Be Mother Earth’s Voice

Unfortunately, Mother Earth can’t speak up for herself when she needs help. But to protect our (and our children’s) environment, we can use our voice to teach our kids and others how to care for the planet and why it’s important to celebrate Earth Day not only in April but all year long.

We can also use our voice to express the value of preserving Earth’s resources through activism, our personal or professional platform, by contacting elected officials, and by our vote.

Will Celebrating Earth Day Really Make a Difference?

It sounds like doom and gloom doesn’t it?

Like it’s impossible to reverse the damage that’s already been done. 

But guess what?

We can.

It won’t happen overnight, or even during the next several decades. But according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate.gov, “we can slow the rate and limit the amount of global warming by reducing human emissions of heat-trapped gases.”

So thankfully, there’s still time to make a difference for our children’s planet and the generations after.

And by staying mindful and tuning into Mother Earth’s needs, we’ll remember to honor her throughout the year.

Are you ready to take on the challenge? I know I am!