We all want to help out Mother Earth. She is having a hard time right now, dealing with important matters such as deforestation, pollution, toxic waters, mono agriculture, and many more. A large part of this is caused by human interference - so it is also in our power to put things right. Today, Thursday the 22st of April, marks Earth Day, which is the perfect excuse for all of us to do something worthwhile. Of course, we’d love to see all 365 days be Earth Day, but it’s a step in the right direction!

Here are 5 easy things we can all start doing today that can make an impact for the better.

1. Step up your garden game!

Even if you only have a teensy tiny balcony: put it to use! The more green we have, the better our planet can deal with the effects of climate change. If all gardens in The Netherlands replaced their cobblestone terraces with fields of grass and clovers, the earth below will be able to soak up the nutritions and rainfall a lot better.

Balcony? Hang pots filled with herbs and flowers on your balcony rail. Try to find flowers that attract butterflies and bees. It looks nice, and helps out the ecosystem! Great, right? Read tips on how to create your own herbal garden in our blog linked here.
Garden? Good! You have more space than most of us! Let’s put it to good use and discover your green thumb. Maybe you can start today by planting some seeds, or removing some tiles from your terrace to create more space for green to grow.
No garden? Fear not! Some cities allow so-called “geveltuintjes”. In Amsterdam, you can digitally apply for this at the town hall, which allows you to create your own little garden area in front of your home.

2. Consider Your Diet

Even if it’s just for this week or even just for today, pay extra careful attention to what you consume. Avoid meat and dairy, as animal agriculture is one of the biggest wrongdoers when it comes to our environment. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction. Livestock production is responsible for 80% of global deforestation.

The waste from a dairy farm of 2500 cows equals the waste of 411.000 people, which's half the city of Amsterdam.

More than 80% of all genetically modified crops grown worldwide have been engineered for herbicide tolerance. It has resulted in monoculture farming and the increased use of the toxic herbicide Roundup, which causes cancer, destroys our biodiversity, and destroys our organic seed survival. Plenty of reasons to try and go without any animal products if you ask us! Or simply try to steadily decrease the amount you consume, all helps!

3. Speak Up

We can’t change the environmental crisis or put halt to the 6th Mass Extinction if we stay silent. Talk to your elders, your friends, or strangers online. Educate each other on how to do better and promote good deeds. In the end, we’re all in this together - however cliche that might sound.

Another thing you can do to spread awareness is post something about it on your social media. The more people we reach, the better!

4. Wear what you preach

Did you know that almost all of our garments today consist of plastic? With each wash, your washing machine pumps water with microfibers and microplastics into our water systems. These plastics are so small, that you can’t filter them out or detect them with the naked eye. That’s why it’s a good call to pay attention to what you put on your body.

Closet Clean Out: Today could be a great day to have a critical look at your wardrobe and assess the labels on your clothes. If you notice they consist of mainly synthetic fibers, it might be time to thank them- a la Marie Kondo - for their service to you and remove them from your wardrobe.
Fill your closet with Good: When shopping for new items, have a look at our guide to find out what fabrics and fibers to look out for, or fill your closet with beautiful second-hand pieces.

5. Donate

Find a good cause that matches what you’d like to see more of in the world. Maybe today could be a great start for you to discover what causes deserve your donation? It can be quite a big task to collect them all and make a selection of causes you truly support, but we guarantee you, you will feel great once you’ve found that special cause!

If you don’t have the funds right now to support causes, you can also contribute in other ways. Perhaps you can donate some of your time and volunteer? Maybe helping to pick up some trash at the city’s parks after a sunny day? Nature will thank you either way!