Make Earth Day every day

Earth Day 2023 was April 22 – that date marked 53 years since the first Earth Day in 1970. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet. The first Earth Day is credited with launching the modern environmental movement and is now recognized as the planet’s largest civic event. This led to passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States, including the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.

As you look back at any Earth Day activities 2023 you might have done, I encourage you to look ahead and pledge to make Earth Day every day. There are many things that are easily done to make your footprint on the environment a smaller one.

Even though the items that we are able to recycle here on the Hi-Line have decreased, they certainly are not all gone. Walmart has a bin in their entry for single-use shopping bags and bags are one big culprit in not only making our environment unsightly, they are a contributor to the micro-plastics that are found in oceans and waterways. Havre Day Activity Center accepts corrugated cardboard. Pacific Steel and Recycling accepts essentially all metals.

One thing to keep in mind when recycling is contamination. Make sure that bag of shopping bags doesn’t have other plastics in it and the pizza box doesn’t contain pizza crust or is saturated with grease. Even though you have good intentions, you can inadvertently contaminate an entire bale.

Recycling is not the only way you can help the environment. First you can Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and not rely on recycling. Especially in an area like ours where not a lot of items can be recycled.

Look for items at the store that are minimal packaging products. For example, purchase laundry detergent in a cardboard box or small bags, instead of the large plastic containers. Buy concentrated cleaners to dilute and refill your smaller containers. Use “regular” dinner plates and cutlery and not single-use plastic, Styrofoam, paper etc.

Get in the habit of taking your reusable bags to the grocery store, it’s easy to do and makes a difference. Ditch the single-use plastic water bottles and straws for a reusable mug, bottle and stainless steel or silicone straws. Mend and repair clothing — clothing manufacturing is one of the world’s most energy-intensive processes. Not to mention the enormous quantity of textiles that go into the landfill each and every day.

Encourage your local businesses to switch from Styrofoam take-out containers to a more environmentally friendly option. Think before you print, conserve water and electricity: all these are simple ways to make a difference.

Start a “zero waste” challenge-consider an entire month of minimizing your waste production. You might be surprised how much garbage you create and reconsider your lifestyle. Live in harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it.

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Wanda Meredith

Chair, Recycle Hi-Line