Earth Day Tips: 10 Ways to Fight Climate Change Today (and Every Day)

When you live on Earth (which 99.9% of us do...), every day is Earth Day. Since every action we take affects our Mothership (hello Butterfly Effect), a little positive change can go a long way. Here are 10 easy ways you can help fight climate change, because we’re all earthlings and we’d like to keep it that way.

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1. No more single-use plastic ever. You've heard it before but we'll say it again for the kids in the back: single-use plastic is a REAL bummer. Bad news: Humans buy about 1,000,000 plastic bottles per minute and only 23% of plastic bottles are recycled within the U.S. Good news: There are SO many great reusable options for water bottles, sandwich bags, grocery and produce bags, metal straws, silverware, alternatives to Saran Wrap like Bee’s Wrap – the possibilities are endless, and they’ve gotten really easy to find.

2. Shop brands that give back. When everyone’s selling something, it can be tough to know who’s doing it in a responsible way. A few tips: Look for brands that are part of 1% for the Planet  (that's us), Conservation Alliance (us too), or are B-Corp Certified (workin' on it). These are all signs that brands are doing their part to help save the planet.

3. Look for energy credits. Lots of U.S. states offer tax credits for things like installing solar panels, making energy-efficient improvements to your home, or driving energy-efficient cars. Check out all the incentives your state offers here.

4. Reduce and Reuse. Obviously recycling is important (fun fact: recycled fibers are the gold standard for conscious clothing), but Reducing and Reusing resources will have the biggest positive impact. Reuse the basics (pst: here's our guide to 20 Reusable Everyday Items), and bonus points for trying to fix things before you replace them (here's the 101 on how to sew a button). And when you're ready to move on from your pre-loved clothes, our new resale platform ToadAgain has you covered

lance-grandahl-1058978-unsplash 5. Support your local farmers. Most food in the US travels an average of 1,500 miles to get from “field to plate.” It takes 435 fossil-fuel calories to fly a 5-calorie strawberry from California to New York. Shopping locally-grown food cuts that down to basically ZERO. More bonuses to buying from local farmers: It's generally organic (ie: doesn’t rely on synthetic or petroleum-based chemicals), it fosters a healthy ecosystem in your own backyard, and small farms help keep the natural balance between humans and wildlife (and many farms even act as Certified Wildlife Habitats).

S19_Day_1_13_Bikes_0134 6. Bike, walk, run, skate…. Get that heart pumping and get moving the Flinstone way! Across the world, the longest-living people are the ones who have incorporated movement into their life daily. Walk to visit friend, ride your bike to the grocery store, get outside for a hike. Do things the old fashioned way (ie: without gasoline) and you'll do right by the earth and the body.

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7. Volunteer. What’s better than getting your hands a little dirty in the name of Planet Earth? Plant a tree. Pick up trash on the beach. Maintain trails. Do it with a friend and it’ll have twice the impact. Get your kids involved and you'll have a Steward of the Earth for life. Here’s a great site called VolunteerMatch that will hook you up with local orgs doing cool things in your community.

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8. Make it official. Take your dedication one step further and become a member of 1% for the Planet, a network of brands, organizations and individuals that are committed to giving back to the earth by supporting key issues related to climate, land, food, pollution, water and wildlife. Businesses commit to giving 1% of sales each year, and individuals (that's you) can commit 1% of their salary or volunteer hours to approved nonprofits. If the karma points aren't incentive enough, you’ll get exclusive discounts and prizes from the 1% network of brands (like Toad&Co!) who are committed to being better.

9. Vote. Flex those democratic muscles and vote for candidates and policies that care, especially local politicians who are making decisions about your own backyard. Look for measures and representatives who are bike and pedestrian-friendly, protect natural areas, focus on waste management, and advocate for clean water.

10. Wear sustainable. For the most part, society requires we wear clothes. So when you've gotta get dressed, choose clothes that were sourced, produced, and transported using the most sustainable materials and methods possible – and that are built to last forever. Shop Men’s and Women’s sustainable spring styles when you must buy new (or shop our resale program to give pre-loved Toad&Co a new life). Your Mother will approve. 

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