7 Things You Can Do For Earth Day That Actually Matter (PHOTOS)

To get big change, you have to make big changes, which is why we're asking you to go bold for Earth Day this year. Instead of boring you with talk of CFL light bulbs and planting trees, we'd rather focus on changes that are harder to make, but are that much more rewarding. These are changes that go way beyond acting virtuous towards the earth for one day -- here at HuffPost Green we believe the planet needs Earth Day every day. We've put together a list of actions you can take to dramatically reduce your impact on the environment-- they each can make a huge difference. Take a look, and decide what lifestyle change you think people should take for Earth Day and every day.

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Stop Using Plastic

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There is no doubt that plastics are notoriously bad. Americans dispose of 10.5 million tons of plastic garbage every year, and about 8% of the world's annual oil production is used toward the creation of plastic products. A single plastic bottle can spend anywhere from 100 to 1000 years in a landfill, and while recycling plastics helps save up to 60% of the energy used to make new products, they are often "downcycled" which doesn't curb the demand for more plastic to be produced, and it does little to prevent plastics leeching cancer-causing chemicals. Thanks to our wasteful habits, we've created huge islands of plastics in both the Pacific and Atlantic, and we not only kill up to a million sea creatures every year with plastic, but also ingest toxins that have made their way up the food chain from this waste.
Imagine the wonderful impact on the environment if you stopped using those 190 pounds of plastic each year. Say NO to plastics, and make your commitment by pledging with others at the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

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There is no doubt that plastics are notoriously bad. Americans dispose of 10.5 million tons of plastic garbage every year, and about 8% of the world's annual oil production is used toward the creation of plastic products. A single plastic bottle can spend anywhere from 100 to 1000 years in a landfill, and while recycling plastics helps save up to 60% of the energy used to make new products, they are often "downcycled" which doesn't curb the demand for more plastic to be produced, and it does little to prevent plastics leeching cancer-causing chemicals. Thanks to our wasteful habits, we've created huge islands of plastics in both the Pacific and Atlantic, and we not only kill up to a million sea creatures every year with plastic, but also ingest toxins that have made their way up the food chain from this waste.

Imagine the wonderful impact on the environment if you stopped using those 190 pounds of plastic each year. Say NO to plastics, and make your commitment by pledging with others at the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

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Comments

[Tyler Hansen]

07:11 PM on 05/10/2010

What a ludicrous list. Don't have children? Stop using plastic? Get rid of your car? I suppose while I'm at it I'll also get rid of all of the pants I wear (they have a carbon footprint!), Stop heating my house in the winter (propane is bad stuff!) and eventually...well I guess I'll kill myself (I emit carbon dioxide after all), all for the planet...the glorious, glorious planet.

[dobberdoss]

03:44 AM on 04/23/2010

No: 8 Don't have children!. Never on the list is it?

[KIVPossum]

07:06 AM on 04/23/2010

That's number six. Look through them.

[BackOfTheBus]

12:53 PM on 04/23/2010

Yeah, it's already number 6, but it's one that's certainly worth repeating.

[dobberdoss]

03:59 AM on 04/24/2010

i stand corrected! amazing to see this in print. Now all we need is some political will power and a financial incentive like they give to people who do have children.

[Lefty Pockets]

02:36 AM on 04/23/2010

We're heading off a cliff! Wheeeee!!!! Goodbye Earth!!! Nice knowin' ya!!!

[atgc]

02:27 AM on 04/23/2010

Why do so many comments keep disappearing? Even completely non offensive ones.

[KeyWestDan]

12:13 AM on 04/23/2010

Hugged a tree today. I think I now have Dutch Elm disease. Do not hug a strange tree without protection!

[Lefty Pockets]

11:49 PM on 04/22/2010

Lets be realistic. No one's going to do anything substantive on the clime until Earth turns into Venus and by then it will be too late. Its not a question of people not buying enough recycled wood coffee tables or politicians not endorsing cap and trade. Even the half measures proposed don't get fully supported and die a slow death in committee. No one is responsible for the climate and everyone is responsible. So everybody points fingers or denies the truth so that business as usual can go on and we can all pretend that it was the fault of the Chinese or the liberals or the media or whatever. Its a problem of human nature as well as capitalism's deep philosophical addiction to waste, which cannot be reformed without changing capitalism itself, and we all know how easy that is. There's a bitter pill here that no one's swallowing and we'll all pay the price for it in years to come.

[Ralph Boyd]

11:32 PM on 04/22/2010

Even though the temperature was up in the high 80s we left the air conditioning off. We'll probably keep doing it until it hits the 90s because it's getting expensive to run.

[ResearchtheFacts]

11:25 PM on 04/22/2010

Happy earth day everyone. And, what a great day it was. Got up at the crack of dawn to see the sun rise with a cup of coffee. Sat outside until the sun set. Spruced up the patio area and planted some vegetables and a herb garden. Spread out some rubber mulch and called it a day. A picture perfect day.

[carrot-top]

11:06 PM on 04/22/2010

Earth Day 2010: Took a 1hr. morning shower, turned the A/C down to 60, opened all my windows, turned on all my lights televisions and stereo's, put the sprinkler on for 2 hours, chopped a tree down for firewood, washed my Yukon XL SUV and my 40ft. RV while they were running. What a wonderful day it was.

[JeromeHoward]

11:12 PM on 04/22/2010

Be careful. Karma is a beach.

[KindMisica]

11:15 PM on 04/22/2010

You're not innovative, pal. There were brain-deads here last year with the same "joke".
Ha fricking ha.

[evekendall]

10:41 PM on 04/22/2010

Do not put your old leftover prescription meds in the trash or flush them down the toilet. The buildup of prescription drugs in our water is a serious problem. Ask your drugstore if they can be turned in there for safe disposal.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/04/dont-just-flush-those-leftover-meds-.html

"Flushed Away" - Time Magazine
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1976909_1976907_1976871,00.html

[CabinGuy]

11:19 PM on 04/22/2010

I just flushed mine. It is an easy way to get rid of them.

[evekendall]

12:43 AM on 04/23/2010

Payback's a beach, isn't it? Estrogens and other pharmaceuticals in the water supply have lead to fish and wildlife with deformed reproductive organs, and, apparently, the problem is beginning to affect humans in the form of small reproductive organs, undescended testicles, and other deformities...

http://pollutioninpeople.org/results/report/chapter-1/phthalates_3
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/part3.php

[KindMisica]

10:38 PM on 04/22/2010

I'm kinda happy that my upbringing in a former Com.munist country has taught me how to save.
I turn lights off all the time when they're not needed. Apparently I'm the only one in the household AWARE of the waste. I save water, electricity, food, you name it. Not going over the top, but just being reasonable.
20 years after the regime fell, and I'm still frowning upon wasting water/energy/etc.
Some people "shower" for 40 minutes....I personally think it goes well beyond "cleaning yourself".

[JeromeHoward]

10:36 PM on 04/22/2010

Nah. I'd rather you stick with the CFL lightbulbs and explain what your plan is to clean up all the mercury when masses of them start entering the waste cycle.

[Mort]

11:18 PM on 04/22/2010

Very good point... which is better, saving a few bucks on electricity and dumping mercury into the environment or staying with incandescent which are far cheaper to buy and don't pollute?

[JeromeHoward]

11:30 PM on 04/22/2010

LED lights are the wave of the future. The smart thing would be to take some of the porkulus funds which are being scattered all over the place, and focusing on things like perfecting the LED bulbs which do not pollute and are superior to all other bulbs in every way.

[CabinGuy]

11:21 PM on 04/22/2010

Those lights are so ridiculous. All you can do is stock up on the CFL bulbs for your life expectancy since Pelosi is totally in to controlling us.

[tacevad]

10:24 PM on 04/22/2010

The Original Earth Day helped raise awareness, without it we would probably have completely dead Great Lakes and an abundance of acid rain.That the Great Lakes are now holding their own is nothing short of a miracle.

[JeromeHoward]

11:15 PM on 04/22/2010

That river in Cleveland would still be on fire too. Just kidding. Earth Day had a far reaching impact.

[carew977]

10:22 PM on 04/22/2010

How much does ALGORE make on the word green?

[CabinGuy]

11:21 PM on 04/22/2010

I know he just bought a yacht.

[JeromeHoward]

11:32 PM on 04/22/2010

Hopefully a sailing vessel. He blows enough hot air to propel it around the world.

[Mort]

12:53 AM on 04/23/2010

He also bought an island.

[LemonMeringue]

10:21 PM on 04/22/2010

Just stop using disposable shopping bags.

[KindMisica]

10:31 PM on 04/22/2010

I might sound naive, but how? Every time I go grocery shopping, they put my stuff in plastic bags immediatelly.
What can I do? I'm serious about it.

[rfshunt]

10:36 PM on 04/22/2010

Take the cloth bags and put them on the checkout belt in front of any items you're buying.

[JeromeHoward]

10:43 PM on 04/22/2010

Where I live, you can buy reusable tote bag thingies for a buck apiece in most of the supermarkets. The problem I had initially was remembering to have them with me when I went to the store. I beg them "Please don't give me any of those plastic bags." I hate 'em. They should be outlawed but of course the lobbyists from the "Plastic Bag Council" won't have any part of that.

[evekendall]

10:43 PM on 04/22/2010

Yes. Google "reusable bags"