Did you know that on April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day? The U.S Environment Protection Agency (US EPA) has some articles, reports and documents on the history of Earth Day, which dates back as far back as 1971.

Apart from historical documents, the US Environment Protection Agency’s Earth Day Web site offers many tips and fun ways to protect the environment and our health every day:

(and you don’t have to be staying in the US to do this) *winks*

1. Learn about simple things you can do around your home to reduce the environmental impacts of your everyday activities. Includes information on how to recycle, conserve resources, avoid toxins, and practice environmentally responsible landscaping.
2. Learn how to protect your neighborhood’s natural resources. You can also access information on air and water quality in your community.
3. Whether you are a student looking for a school project, an environmental studies teacher or someone just interested in learning more about the environment, EPA has lots of educational resources to offer you. You may want to take this fun Earth Day quiz to see how much you know about Earth Day.
4. Learn how you and your employer can protect the environment, save money and create a healthy workplace.
5. Buying a new car or home appliance? While shopping, you can access helpful information on how to choose models that will reduce pollution, save energy and money.

And while you’re at it, why not include your kids as well? The Earth Day take home kit provides a lot of information and tips that you and your family can use to protect the environment and your health, while celebrating Earth Day :)

Do you know that it’s Earth Day this April 22nd (this coming Sunday)? It’s a time when we honour planet Earth and recognize important issues like global warming, the greenhouse effects, ozone pollution and what-have-yous.

Now, if you’ve heard of “Going green is easier than you think” but always doubted it, I’ve compiled a list of 10 simple things you can do to help save the earth from HowStuffWorks. These are little things you can do every day to help reduce greenhouse gases and make a less harmful impact on the environment.

1. Pay attention to how you use water. Every time you turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth, you’re doing something good. Got a leaky toilet? You might be wasting 200 gallons of water a day. Try drinking tap water instead of bottled water, so you aren’t wasting all that packaging as well.
2. Leave your car at home. If you can stay off the road just two days a week, you’ll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year. Combine your errands — go to the post office, grocery store and shoe repair place in one trip. It will save you petrol and time.
3. Walk or ride your bicycle to work, school and anywhere you can. You can reduce greenhouse gases while burning some calories and improving your health. If you can’t walk or bike, use mass transit or carpool.
4. Recycle. You can help reduce pollution just by putting that soda can in a different bin. If you’re trying to choose between two products, pick the one with the least packaging. If an office building of 7,000 workers recycled all of its office paper waste for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking almost 400 cars off the road.
5. Compost. Think about how much trash you make in a year. Reducing the amount of solid waste you produce in a year means taking up less space in landfills, so your taxes can work somewhere else.
6. Change your light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) last 10 times longer than a standard bulb and use at least two-thirds less energy.
7. Make your home more energy efficient (and save money). Clean your air filters so your system doesn’t have to work overtime. Get a programmable thermostat so you aren’t wasting energy when you aren’t home. When you go to bed, reduce the thermostat setting — you won’t miss those extra degrees of heat or air conditioning while you’re asleep.
8. Maintain your car. Under-inflated tyres decrease fuel economy by up to three percent and lead to increased pollution and higher greenhouse gas emissions. Under-inflation also increases tyre wear, so it will save you money in the long run if you’re good about checking your tyre pressure.
9. Drive smarter. Slow down — driving 60 mph instead of 70 mph on the highway will save you up 4 miles per gallon. Accelerating and braking too hard can actually reduce your fuel economy, so take it easy on the brakes and gas pedal.
10. Turn off lights and fans when you’re not in the room and unplug appliances when you’re not using them. It only takes a second to be environmentally conscious.

Let me tell you a lil’ about Sheila McKenna.

Sheila works in the South Pacific where Conservation International and Kanak tribes of New Caledonia have collaborated for many years to conserve ancestral waters and natural resources. Sheila and her colleagues conducted an intensive biodiversity assessment of 42 coral reefs near New Caledonia’s Province Nord.

Sheila’s work has had a profound effect. Conservation International’s research has laid the groundwork for lasting conservation in the region, inspiring the local government to develop a comprehensive national conservation plan. The Kanak have also invited Conservation International back to work with them on their bid for World Heritage status, a designation made by UNESCO that protects places of cultural and natural heritage around the world.

The Kanak are protecting what, in their words, “belongs to the Earth” and have helped preserve healthy ecosystems that are home to groupers, herrings, snappers, sea cucumbers, and other marine life.

Donate or become a member to Conservation International so that Sheila and other staff can continue their work. Their work with the Kanak and other communities around the globe depends on your membership.

For your information, Conservation International membership starts from USD 35 per year. But if you’d like to make a donation, NO AMOUNT is too small. Visa and Mastercard holders only.