Earth Day looks pretty good for celebrating 54 years! Earth Day events were first held on April 22, 1970, in the U.S. and since then the day has become an international celebration with each year having specific themes like “A Billion Acts of Green” or “Restore our Earth.” Whether you’ve been an avid Earth Day advocate from the beginning or just recently discovered how important the cause is, celebrate Earth Day 2024. The theme for this year’s Earth Day, which is April 22, is “Planet v Plastics.”
Ride your Bike or Take a Walk: The point here is to not drive anywhere, at least for the day. Hop on your bike and hit some trails near your campground or plan a walk on a beach, in a forest, or just around your campground. Great bike routes can include the beachfront Promenade in Seaside, Oregon (near Seaside RV Campground) or the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail near our campgrounds in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Looking for a bike trail near you? Check out traillink.com. Enjoy the campground’s trails – great onsite trails can be found at Wilderness Lakes RV Campground (CA), Bay Landing RV Campground (TX), Pacific City RV Campground (OR), and Lake Gaston RV Campground (NC), to name a few. When you check-in at your favorite campground, ask them if there is a walking trail onsite or nearby!
Build a Birdhouse/Make a Birdfeeder: One way to help take care of Mother Earth is to assist the creatures that inhabit it. In addition to just being nice to your neighbors, why not build a birdhouse that can travel with you from camp to camp and feed the birds. Craft and hobby stores, and even Amazon.com, have ready to build kits or skiptomylou.org/diy-birdhouse has a handy step-by-step tutorial. A simple enough birdfeeder requires only an empty toilet paper roll, bird seed and peanut butter. Spread the peanut butter on the paper roll and then roll it in bird seed and you’ll be feeding our feathered friends in no time.
Clean-Up/Be Green: Attend a clean-up event and lend a hand. Visit cleanup.earthday.org/pages/find-a-cleanup to find an event near you. Ideas to keep your campsite clean can include: using biodegradable products for dish soap and personal care or try an all-in-one product good for washing dishes and humans, use mosquito repellant lanterns vs. a non-earth-friendly bug spray, and leave the campsite the way you found it – pack in and pack out.
Plant a Garden: Why not make sure you’ve always got something green with you. Plant a traveling herb garden that can road trip with you. Good herbs for container gardening include basil, Greek oregano, rosemary, lemon balm, and parsley. Traveling in an RV? Consider hanging a container garden above your sink that makes for easy watering. Pitching a tent but want your herbs for camp meals? Combine several herbs in an easily-transported planter box. Herbs that grow well together include sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. A fragrant lavender plant is always a good idea as lavender has medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic purposes.
Watch a Documentary: Whether it’s a documentary that explores the wonders of our earth or one that drives home the issues we face such as climate change (Kiss the Ground), dwindling resources such as coral reefs (Chasing Coral) and honeybees (The Pollinators), or David Attenborough’s all-encompassing A Life on Our Planet, take the time to learn about the issues and see what solutions you can be a part of.
Read More:
- It’s never too early to start planning your summer vacation!
- The New Americana Music Triangle is worth learning about.
- On the Road with country artist and avid RVer, Debby Cochran.
- Here’s the scoop on America’s iconic roadside stop: Cracker Barrel.
- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.