Another Domestic Diva

💕 HAPPY EARTH DAY! 💕

Here are some wonderful ways to celebrate Earth Day 2021 and everyday…

Plant a tree with your family or donate “planting a tree” through a non-profit foundation.

Plant pollinating flowers for the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in your yard or create container gardens. Even just planting one or a few plants is fantastic for the pollinators. The bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love the Lantana, Mexican Heather, Pentas, Salvia, and Hibiscus in our yard. The bees also go crazy for the white flowers that bloom on our garlic chive herb plants.

Be kind to wildlife. Put up some bird and/or squirrel feeders in your yard with good quality birdseed. All the construction and new subdivisions that are going up are displacing more and more wildlife causing them to have fewer natural areas to live in and feed. Give something back by adding bird and squirrel feeders to your yard or balcony. The joy you’ll receive from seeing all the beautiful birds and squirrels will make your heart happy!

Start a recycling program in your home. Recycling your plastic, cans, glass, etc. is a great way to help the planet. Call your trash service and see if they offer recycling in your neighborhood. Our trash service supplies the recycling container and they pick up every two weeks. Also check with your local fire dept. to see if they collect aluminum cans. Our local fire dept. collects cans for burn victim children. It’s a great cause and it helps the environment as well.

Lower your carbon footprint by using an insulated cup like a Yeti, Ozark, etc. and refill it with cold filtered water instead of using plastic water bottles. Walmart has some very affordable insulated cups, tumblers, etc. for those on a tight budget and they work just as great as the top brands. My husband and I have a large Brita Water Dispenser that we keep in the refrigerator that we refill our insulated tumblers with through the day.

Help our planet by eating less meat and dairy. Instead of eating meat at each meal, try eating one meatless meal a day or a couple of meatless meals a week. There are some amazing recipes that don’t have meat in them like mushroom stroganoff, pizza with vegetables instead of meat, meatless spaghetti (use sauteed mushrooms, onions, and orange, yellow, and/or red peppers instead of meat – it’s delicious!). For all those meat lover’s out there – try Impossible Meat or Beyond Burgers instead of meat. They are absolutely delicious in recipes that call for ground beef like tacos, lasagna, chili, etc. My husband soaks the beyond burgers in Worcestershire sauce, cracked pepper, and sea salt before we cook them. He loves it and he said that he cannot tell that it isn’t a real hamburger.

Take a walk in nature, a park, or your neighborhood and breathe in the wonderful fresh air. Just getting out in nature will lift your mood, improve your health, and help you appreciate how beautiful planet Earth is and why she needs to be loved and protected. Can't get out in nature? Then watch nature videos or nature documentaries to lift your spirit.

Help our oceans by eating less seafood, using less plastic, and picking up after yourself when visiting the beach. Whether you live at the beach or just visit once a year – bring gloves and a garbage bag with you. Take a walk on the beach and pick up any trash that you see that others may have left behind. Every kind act helps nature and all the marine life that inhabit our beautiful oceans.

Be kind to others and find the love in every situation. Spread positivity and kindness to all you meet. Instead of negativity, try finding the beauty in someone and lift them up. Celebrate people’s differences. A smile, a kind word, or a bit of encouragement goes a long way. Usually those that are negative or unhappy need to be given the most kindness and compassion. Happiness is contagious!

There are so many creative ways that you can help our beautiful planet earth. Just remember that we only have one planet to live on so please love, respect, and protect our planet - our home. Happy Earth Day! 🌎💗🐝🌺🦋🌳🐾🦈🌊