8 Earth Day Crafts To Properly Celebrate Our Planet
As we are beginning to better understand our impact on the natural world, we’re also experiencing a proportional growth in the celebrations of Earth Day. Whilst many critics argue that every day should be Earth Day, any step in the right direction is a good one, and this growing popularity is a big environmental win. Of course, as it’s a relatively new and slightly undefined holiday, it’s hard to know what specific Earth Day crafts you can take part in to show your support, so I’ve put together a quick list of Earth Day crafts you can do to fully engage with the holiday that will save the world.
1) Cycle to work
Simple, easy, effective, requires very little effort and doesn’t need much explaining. Even if you normally commute by public transport, bring that bike with you and cycle as much of the journey as you possibly can. If you live in London or a similar big city, why not just hire a Boris bike (or Sadiq cycle as I think they’re also sometimes called?)
2) Get something solar-panelled
The solar boom is somewhat over and the likelihood of it changing the world single-handedly has decreased significantly. However, the knock-on effect of this is that solar panels have become far more readily available, especially in the form of lamps and small heaters. Why not invest in one of these and harness the power of the sun instead of burning those toxic fossil fuels?
3) Make and eat vegan food for the day
The impacts of farming on the environment are becoming more of a talking point as documentaries and studies have been revealing the extent of the damage that sectors such as meat and dairy are inflicting. With that in mind, why not trying eating a vegan diet for the day? By eating exclusively plant-based foods, you would be cutting your carbon footprint by an estimated 33% and you’d also get to try loads of different foods in the meantime.
4) Embrace your green fingers
By April, the sun should be out and so should you. Get in the garden and start planting some new flowers and plants that will bring some much needed colour and of course oxygen. Studies show the positive impacts of being in green areas on your mental health too so, if the idea of spending money on one of these Earth Day crafts is putting you off, think of this one as an investment in your own wellbeing.
5) Save some wildlife
I don’t mean going into wooded areas and rescuing birds from predatory foxes.
Put a bird feeder up on a tree, fill up the bird bath or, whilst planting that new garden, put down some plants that will attract bees and keep them from dying out too. We’ve spent so long abusing wildlife that it’s about time we gave something back, and Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
6) Make some eco-friendly shopping bags
Really putting the ‘craft’ element into the Earth Day crafts, try fashioning some shopping bags out of eco-friendly materials such as canvas. The impacts of the shopping bag tax have been massively successful, but even the ‘bag for life’ takes up a massive amount of energy. Why not cut out both by making your own eco-bags?
7) Go litter picking
Little explaining needed for this one.
Litter is terrible for the environment, both in the way that wildlife try and eat it and in the fumes it releases as it breaks down over thousands of years. Grab one of those bags you’ve made, grab a sharp stick and clean up your local green spaces.
8) Make straws out of pasta
Another proper, hands-on Earth Day craft, and also slightly rogue, but the tide really turned on the plastic straw. We’ve seen the invention of the paper straw, but now some people are turning to making pasta straws that have a little bit of extra durability, whilst still being organic enough to break down unaided. You’ll have to Google the instructions for this one, I’m afraid; it certainly isn’t the easiest of the Earth Day crafts.
