Creating a Green Future: Make Every Day Earth Day

Being green is something that everyone can do … and the steps taken by each person, large or small, add up in making a big difference for the planet and all of its residents. An assortment of options for getting involved follows.

Earth Green

Celebrate Earth Day, on the official day or one designated by you as your own personal kickoff date for creating a green future.

According to the age-old Farmer’s Almanac (Almanac.com): “In 1970, San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to join in a grassroots demonstration. McConnell chose the spring equinox (March 21, 1970) and Nelson chose April 22. Millions of people participated, and today Earth Day continues to be widely celebrated with events on both dates.”

Get started in making your plans for how to make a difference for the planet on Earth Day 2013 … and every day! There are many ways to do so … including those noted in this article.

Virtual Green

Webinars and other live events through the Internet are inherently green … no travel required, no pollution (plus way fewer environmental resources to achieve a desired-result). One way you can “make a difference” is to host your own Earth Day event (or other type of event) online.

The Future Is Now Foundation is a charitable nonprofit that provides services like this to other organizations. Check out http://www.forthepublic.org/Your_Online_Event.html and host your own professional event.

Re-Powering Solutions

The Re-Power Florida Virtual Conference is scheduled for April 19 – 22, 2013. This multi-day event hosted live through the Internet will address energy issues facing Florida as well as real world options and solutions. Key energy experts will speak on topics of transportation & alternative fuel vehicles … renewable energy resources … and energy efficiency.

The event is FREE and open to the public. Information and solutions addressed will be relevant to states across the nation.

A single sign-in covers all days of the conference. Join any and all sessions of interest. Save your seat at: http://www.forthepublic.org/Earth_Day.html. If you miss it on-demand replays will also be available.

Green Land Use

The American Farmland Trust has posted this concise and compelling short article called: Seven Ways to Save Farmland. As part of a series of action-oriented information they note: Save an Acre of Farmland: “Every minute, America loses more than an acre of farmland to urban sprawl and development. Farmland is the heart of our nation and we must protect it.” … plus “Support Your Local Farmers Market: … Why does buying local matter? When you shop at your local farmers market, you’re helping nearby farmers and ranchers stay on the land.” Check out their “No Farms No Food” link at: http://www.farmland.org/actioncenter/no-farms-no-food/7-ways-to-save-far... plus many other resources on their site, for organizations, farmers and individuals.

Green Energy

An amazing array of resources on renewable energy, energy efficiency and strategies for wise energy use, environmental practices and green jobs are on this Website: http://energysmartplanning.org/. Whether you’re a government agency, company, nonprofit, educational institute or individual … through this site you’ll learn a wide range of ways to make an important difference for the future … for communities, organizations and consumers.

Green Diet

Eating fruits, nuts and vegetables is not only green but healthy and sustainable. More water consumption and pollution, energy use and other environmental impacts are associated with meat-based diets. “Let’s Talk Live”, an ABC affiliate in Washington DC, ran a special interview with the head of the national Farm Sanctuary. They noted that “Veganism is one of the top health trends.” Catch the video replay here: http://www.wjla.com/blogs/lets-talk-live/2013/02/meat-free-week-in-d-c--.... Plus here’s a directory of organizations focused on vegetarian diets and the source of healthy eating recipes: http://www.veganfood.com/.

Saving Green

Decisions about energy can make a big difference for the financial-viability of an organization or business while also offering opportunities for innovation and leadership. Advances in energy efficiency, renewable energy and online technologies have opened up a whole new world of exciting possibilities for the business sector. Green Web-based tools also offer ways to save energy plus gain a multitude of other-benefits. Get a snapshot through this article plus access to an array of complimentary resources to support your business. http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Energy:-New-Era-Choices-for-Your-Busines...

Green Communities

The American Planning Association hosts the Green Communities Research Center. Working with a global network of research fellows and partner institutions, they undertake research related to green community planning, such as climate change, energy, land conservation, urban forestry, sustainable economic development, green infrastructure and watershed protection. Through education, plan making, tax policies, capital investments, development review and other planning actions, they note that many opportunities to help create green communities by reducing the impact of development on the natural environment and improving environmental quality for residents. Find out more here: http://www.planning.org/nationalcenters/green/

Green Online Resources

The ways to be green are many and ideas and approaches for individuals and organizations are readily accessible on the Internet. Run a search for “Earth Day actions” or “ways to save energy” or “ways to help the environment” or “ways to save the planet” and you’ll discover a menu of additional possibilities.

Green Communities is also the theme of this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Communities-Resources-for-Smart-Pla....

Green Websites

Did you know that you can have your Website be "Green Certified"? It’s an official status that you can get (under guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission) … and it’s a great way to make a difference for the environment plus show others that you care.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article … and here’s to your next steps in creating a better world by being green.