How to Celebrate Earth Day in Dulles and Loudon County

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans came together across the United States with one common goal: to raise consciousness about environmental issues. While separate groups fought for their own environmental causes – like oil spills and toxic dumps, or pollution and pesticides – it wasn’t until the first official Earth Day that all environmental concerns were treated as part of one movement.

Forty five years later, the impact of the first Earth Day can be felt in every aspect of our lives: from cleaner cars and energy-efficient appliances, to chemical-free household cleaners and BPA-free plastics. But we can still do more to pave the way for a healthier environment for future generations

So here are 6 simple ideas to make your household even more earth-friendly this Earth Day and beyond:

Rethink your landscape. Choose flowers, plants, and shrubbery that do well in your neck of the woods and don’t require frequent watering to thrive. Pledge not to use pesticide and herbicide lawn care treatments. Plant a vegetable garden or participate in a community garden.

Reduce your consumption. Whether we’re talking water, electricity, plastics, or simply “stuff”, less if definitely more. Fix plumbing leaks as soon as you spot them, unplug electrical appliances when not in use, switch to reusable water bottles over disposable, and think before you buy.

Go local. Get to know your area farmers by visiting a farmer’s market, support small, local businesses, artists, and crafters, and look to online community swap pages for common household items that you either need or need to get rid of.

Hit the ground running. Or walking, or biking. Give up the car on Earth Day, or longer if you can. Carpool or take public transportation if your commute is too long to walk or bike ride.

Educate yourself. Head to the library or to your computer to learn more about an environmental issue that you know little about.

Become an environmental activist. Share information with your friends, coworkers, and family and maybe even start your very own grassroots movement. Whether your passion is water conservation, air pollution, or something else, you don’t need much to move others toward positive change.

At Your 1 Plumber, we’re proud to be part of a profession that can and does make a direct impact on energy and resource conservation through an ever-growing arsenal of green plumbing products and services. To learn more, contact Your 1 Plumber today.