We’re big fans of Mother Earth.
Her forests, oceans, mountains, and deserts; there are so many beautiful spaces and places to cherish on this planet we call home.
Our planet gives us so much, but how often do we get to give back? How often do we take the time to appreciate all that life has to offer by caring for the things we love?
If you can’t remember the last time you volunteered, be it for your own community or for the great outdoors, now is the best time to reconnect and give back.
We’re always looking for more ways to get outside and take care of Earth. Read on down for some excellent ideas on volunteering and caring for our planet, even if you live in a dense city where trails and natural paths are hard to come by.
Kick Trash to the Curb
Trash is everywhere.
According to National Geographic, the U.S. produces roughly 4.4 pounds of trash per person, per day. Good thing there’s a handful of ways you can help out.
Try gathering a group of friends and cleaning up the litter around a bike path you love to ride on. Challenge yourself to not buy anything that contains plastic for one day a week. Chat with your HR rep about how you can make your office more trash-free.
Start small and stay committed.
Take an Active Role in Eliminating Food Waste
Much like trash, food waste is an enormous problem facing the world, and one of the bigger contributors to climate change. From making a plan before you shop to making more freezer-friendly recipes, there are tons of things you can do at home that will reduce the amount of food you waste weekly.
Check out this blog for some essential tools to help fight food waste in the kitchen.
Bike to Work
Biking to work is both a physical benefit to you and a way to reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, if cycling increased by about 20%, the world could cut carbon dioxide from urban transport by nearly 11% by 2050.
So, hit the pavement!
Join a bike-share program, dust off your old set of wheels, or partner with a coworker to ride to work together.
Advocate for Environmental Policy
The world needs more support, and the best way to do that is to get involved on a local level.
This doesn’t mean you have to run for office (though, you should!), it simply means calling your senators and local representatives and insisting that climate change and Earth’s prosperity be more of a priority.
Find out who to contact in your area here.
Hit up the Local Farmer’s Market
Eating local is a tasty and quick way to give back to the planet.
Instead of buying ingredients that have to take a plane ride to get to you, purchase local ingredients and goods from farmers or farms in your area.
They’ll taste a lot better fresh and organic, and your local farming community will appreciate the boost!
Bonus: Let Your Next Purchase Plant a Tree
Giving back is baked into everything we do at Trek Light. For every product sold, we plant a tree through our partnership with Trees For The Future.
You can read all about how it works on our give-back page.
