50 ways to celebrate Earth Day in 2020

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and the 50th anniversary of California State Parks Foundation. With your help, we hope to make an impact for California by tackling climate change in state parks. The best way we can all fight climate change is to make a change in our everyday lives, while making changes for the places we care about.

Here are 50 easy ways you can make THIS Earth Day the most impactful yet.

1. Take our Earth Day pledge, and commit to taking an everyday action to preserve our planet. When we unite to take action, we can lead the charge to protect California!
2. Plan a summer trip to a park you’ve never been to before — and bring a friend! This helps raise awareness of the spectacular parklands you want to protect.
3. Go bagless, or be sure to carry reusable bags for all shopping.
   
4. Get familiar with your local recycling and composting options and guidelines.
5. Call your utility companies to ask about green energy options.
6. Go meatless one day (or more!) a week.
7. Ask a friend to join you in your efforts to reduce the impact of climate change.
8. Be aware of the number of single-use plastic items you use and adjust to other options, such as metal straws and cutlery.
9. Unplug appliances, power strips and transformers when not in use to save energy.
10. Plant something native and green this week, like manzanitas or California fuchsias.
11. Vote for policymakers who advocate for the environment.
12. Register to vote.
    
13. Use public transportation, carpool, bike, or walk regularly.
14. Volunteer for a trail or beach clean-up with friends or family this summer.
15. Become water wise in your home through mindful showering and dishwashing.
16. Save money and energy. Switch to LED light bulbs throughout your home.
17. Create less food waste. Make sure to finish leftovers and save your vegetable scraps to make a homemade veggie stock!
18. Pick up litter when walking around your neighborhood and city.
19. Buy local and support small businesses.
20. Write to your legislators and let them know the environment is an important issue you care about.
21. Plant fire resistant plants, like French lavender or California lilacs.
    
22. Clear brush around your home to protect against fires.
23. Purchase carbon offsets for your travel if you fly — they’re usually very cheap!
24. Learn about state and local incentive programs for going solar.
25. When ordering online, consolidate your order in as few deliveries as possible.
26. Use a service like Seafood Watch (seafoodwatch.org) to make sure your meal choices are ethically and sustainably sourced.
27. Check to see if your local community has a climate action plan for you to support.
28. Buy food items in bulk to reduce packaging waste.
29. Use a water filter in your home and reusable water bottles in place of buying bottled water.
30. Bring your own cup or mug when getting coffee (you might even get a discount!)
    
31. Use a traditional coffee machine (with less waste than single-cup brewing machines) and compost the used grounds to enrich your soil.
32. Hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer, and opt for cold water in the washer to save energy.
33. Bring a reusable to-go container from home to pack away leftovers at a restaurant.
34. For snacks and on-the-go lunches, opt for reusable silicone bags, not disposable plastic baggies.
35. Visit your local farmers’ market and buy local, seasonal produce.
36. Keep useful items out of landfills by both donating to — and shopping at — thrift stores for clothes, home goods, and other items with more use in them.
37. Do your research before purchasing and support companies that have environmentally sustainable practices.
38. Join a community garden to get involved in growing your own food.
    
39. Opt for a wooden toothbrush and consider toothpaste tablets to reduce plastic waste.
40. Try making DIY home-cleaning products with ingredients you have on hand, like vinegar or baking soda (fewer chemicals and you will save money)!
41. If you order food delivery, request less packaging and no plastic utensils.
42. Use reusable cloths instead of paper towels in the kitchen.
43. When possible, vacation somewhere closer to home to reduce carbon emissions.
44. Buy less! The more we buy, the more ends up in landfills.
45. Use digital tickets for flights, movies, plays, and other events, instead of printing them out.
46. Fix leaky faucets in your house to save water.
47. Avoid buying products with palm oil, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Many food and beauty products contain it, so check before you purchase!
48. Repurpose old shirts and clothes as rags for cleaning.
49. Stay informed and continue to educate yourself on ways to help our beautiful planet!
50. Donate to California State Parks Foundation to protect our parks — and the earth!