Celebrating Earth Day 2020 while Sheltering in Place

Happy 50th Earth Day! Fifty years ago, people around the world celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson to educate the public about the environment after a massive oil spill, Earth Day is now a day to inspire everyone to protect our planet. It is observed by over 190 countries and more than one billion people.

This year, most of us won’t be venturing into the great outdoors to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in style. While we’re all at home, here are a few measures you can take to contribute to the wellbeing of our planet, as well as save on energy usage and costs.

1. Turn off the lights:

– Try to use natural light when possible during the day.
– Make sure to turn off all the lights at night while you are sleeping.
– Maybe have a romantic candlelit dinner one evening to save some electricity too.

2. Turn off and unplug devices when they are not in use:

– Turn off your laptop after you finish the workday. According to the Department of Energy leaving a computer on all day can cost about 21 cents per day or about $75 per year.
– Also, unplug devices when you are not using them. The Natural Resources Defense Council says the cost of plugged-in but not used devices is about $165 per household every year. Take time before you go to bed to walk around your house and unplug electronics that are not in use.
– This includes charging cords for electronic devices, such as cellphones, that shouldn’t be left plugged into outlets.

3. Use power strips:

– Power strips efficiently distribute energy to appliances and prevent them from draining unnecessary energy.
– Power strips also allow you to easily “unplug” multiple devices at once while you are doing your nightly rounds.
– According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using an advanced power strip to control power used by idle appliances can save you $100 a year.

These simple measures can help save energy costs. For more ideas about celebrating Earth Day while sheltering in place, refer to this article.