THE first thing that probably comes to mind is planting trees. This is an excellent way to celebrate Earth Day since trees help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean pollution, hold soil in place to prevent erosion, and provide homes for birds, insects and other animals. You might also think of saving electricity and conserving water. These are also excellent methods, but there are a lot of other options which you might also consider. Here are a few:

* Enjoy nature. Go for a hike. Have a picnic in the park. Take a few minutes to step outside your door and listen to the birds. Connecting to nature is a great way to connect to ourselves

* Eat food that feels like it actually came from the Earth, not the packaged foods section of the grocery store

* Support local growers and producers of food and products

* Clean up litter in your community

* Start a compost bin. Collect all of your food scraps (except for meat and dairy products) in a closed bin. Add leaves, sticks, grass clippings and other organic items. Turn the mixture every few days. The compost will break down into a rich, brown soil after several months of turning.

* Install solar PV panels on your roof

* Avoid styrofoam food containers

* Use a cloth bag for shopping. If you must use plastic bags, recycle or reuse them

* Take your drink container with you

* Sell or donate used items instead of throwing them away

Banyan tree.jpg

A majestic Banyan tree with aerial roots at Kings House, Kingston.