Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2020

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Cary, NC — Today, Wednesday, April 22, 2020 marks the 50th yearly celebration of Earth Day.

The milestone anniversary comes with the enormous and challenging Earth Day theme of climate action. According to the official Earth Day website, “Earth Day 2020 will be far more than a day. It must be a historic moment when citizens of the world rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis and seize the enormous opportunities of a zero-carbon future.”

In taking this tall order into the scope of Cary and what we as a community can take part in on Earth Day, we’ve put together a list. This list, courtesy of our friends at Toward Zero Waste, is a mix of virtual and active experiences that will allow you and your loved ones to take part in this global effort to do good for our planet.

Virtual Experiences

  1. Take part in NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Home Sus-STAY IN-Ability from 12- 1 PM on Earth Day.
  2. Tune in to the Discovery Channel at 2 PM for the premiere of The Story of Plastic.
  3. Register and attend the Toward Zero Waste virtual screening and panel discussion of Just Eat It from 7- 9 PM.
  4. Join in on  Zac Efron’s Great Global Cleanup on the Discovery Channel at 10 PM with Tik Tok star, Zach King.
  5. Watch the TZW Recycling Workshop featuring Mel Gilles of Recycle Right NC.
  6. Check out EarthDay.org to learn the history of Earth Day and participate in Earth Day Live events all day long.
  7. Find and subscribe to an eco podcast. A favorite of the TZW team is Green Dreamer.
  8. Want a deeper dive? Join the Earth Day Network’s global week-long virtual conference, We Don’t Have Time.

Active Experiences

  1. Take the Triangle Land Conservancy’s Hiking Challenge.
  2. Do an at-home upcycle project.
  3. Got kids? Environment America has you covered with their Nifty Fifty environmental activities kids can do from home.
  4. Make a new earth-friendly commitment like saying no to single-use plastic, buying nothing new, riding your bike for nearby errands, trying your hand at gardening or composting or subscribing to a compost pickup program.
  5. Read a good (and green) book. You can download Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring or the more recent Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Another worth mentioning is Colin Beavan’s How to Be Alive.
  6. Read a book about the environment with your kids. Don’t have kids? Gift one to a child you know.
  7. Donate to your favorite environmental organizations in Cary, in North Carolina or in the world.
  8. Contact your local representative to ask for action on the environment on an issue that matters to you.

Whether your plans are out on the Cary greenways or in the comfort of your homes, there’s plenty to do to enjoy and help take care of the environment.

Story and photos by Ashley Kairis. Resources courtesy of Cary Non-Profit Toward Zero Waste.