Make Every Day an Earth Day

April 15, 2011 - PRLog -- On April 22, millions of people in more than 170 countries will be planting trees, cleaning up neighborhoods and doing their part for the environment. Earth Day, as it’s been widely known now for more than 40 years, will galvanize Americans to volunteer for one of the thousands of environmental events being planned by nonprofit organizations around the country.

“Earth Day really gets people energized to volunteer as much as possible,” says Jacquelynn Henke, a real estate green strategy officer at TD Bank. “Unfortunately, volunteer events begin to die down after April, reducing the opportunities people have to do something positive for the environment on a consistent basis.”

Many people don’t know there are simple, daily actions they can take to make every day an Earth Day. Here are a few tips that anyone can use to do their part for the environment every day of the year:

Bring on the warmer months. Now that warmer weather is approaching, consider commuting to work or running errands on your bicycle. Also, studies have found that people don’t get as much Vitamin D during the winter months, and taking bike rides in the spring and summer can help replenish the body with this important vitamin while getting a good exercise.

“Taking a bike instead of a vehicle is one of the best ways to do your part for the environment,” says Henke. “Cars are a huge producer of carbon dioxide, so the more cars we get off the roads the better.”

Find out if some of your favorite retailers have installed bike racks at their stores. If they have, running errands to these locations on your bike will give you peace of mind knowing that you’ll have a convenient place to park it. Henke noted that TD Bank has installed bike racks at some of its branches that have achieved or are targeting LEED certification.

Spring planting. Rising temperatures means it’s a great time to plant. While planting is great for the environment, keep in mind that heavy water use is not. Talk to your local garden store, and ask about local plant species that don’t require lots of watering. Native plants tend to do fine with the water that’s naturally supplied by rain.

“We’ve noticed the benefit of using native plants and shrubs at TD Banks,” says Henke. “These plants have helped us reduce our water use and conserve water. That’s a plus for us and for the environment.”

Make your own compost. Do you know you can make rich soil for planting at home? When you peel your fruits and vegetables, don’t throw away the remains; you can use these and other trash particles to start a compost pile. Over time, composting can create rich soil for all your planting needs.

Use rainwater. If you do have to water plants, consider installing a rain barrel that easily connects to your downspout. When you’re ready to water your non-native plants, you’ll be able to use rainwater instead of turning on the sprinkler system. This conserves water, which is good for the environment and your wallet.

Buy local. As we get ready for the return of warmer weather, consider buying produce at your local farmer’s market. This way, you’re helping the local economy, and you’re helping to get trucks off the roads that carry fruits and veggies from far away.

Go paperless. The next time you receive a bill or statement by mail, take a moment to see if you could convert it to paperless. Doing so will help reduce your paperwork, save trees, and save emissions associated with printing and mailing. Some companies even offer discounts for their services by going paperless.

“At TD Bank, we encourage all our customers and employees to use less paper,” says Henke. “We also offer our customers a $1 discount on checking maintenance fees if they choose to receive web-based monthly statements.”

Maintaining a clean and healthy environment is too important an issue for just one day. There is something everyone can do on daily basis to make every day an Earth Day.

For more information, visit www.tdbank.com.