This Earth Day you can focus on the one day or you can set goals to create green change in your entire community. When whole neighborhoods get involved that’s a lot of people working for change – SO much better than just one household.
Following are 8 ways you can work towards a greener community…
1. Use your voice: Until people start talking about green, changes are unlikely to occur. Tell a neighbor about how you’re greening your life or home; tell two neighbors.
2. Tear down fences: Fences and other home dividers create a feeling of separation. Families in neighborhoods actually used to talk to each other and hang out. Make your home more welcoming to those around you.
3. Plan a school-based carpool with neighbors: Not only does this cut down on gas use and greenhouse emissions, but it builds relationships. Even better, plan a walking pool to school vs. a carpool.
4. Hold an annual (or bi-annual) green neighborhood block party: Hold a green neighborhood barbecue. Have everyone bring a natural or organic dish and make sure you use non-disposable dishes (or at least biodegradable). Gather all the kids (and adults) for a nature walk.
5. Sponsor neighborhood clean-up events: Gather everyone up and clean up the local park. Pick up all the trash in the area. Install easy to see recycling bins. Removing all the junk people leave around is safer for kids who should be playing outside and better for the planet.
6. Hold a green workshop: In New Mexico, it was common to see things like sustainable cob or adobe home workshops in neighborhoods. Your workshop doesn’t have to be fancy though. learn something new, and then show everyone else how to do it. Some easy workshop ideas include:
But you can learn and teach any old green thing you like or even hold a workshop that teaches facts, like a field trip workshop to the local recycling center.
7. Start a community garden: Starting a community garden is not as hard as you might think. The American Community Garden Association has a website jam packed full of amazing tips and resources to get you going. Once you’re up and running don’t forget that kids love gardening too. Try out one of these 10 fun organic gardening projects for kids.
8. Plant more community trees: Simple and it works. Not only do kids who live near trees have fewer incidences of asthma, but kids who live near green spaces are healthier and more fit overall. Planting trees is an easy way to encourage green space over concrete space. Learn about tree planting in your neck of the woods.
[image via morguefile]
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