Over the River and Through the Woods: Taking Stock of Your Loved One’s Well-being at Holiday Time
December 21, 2023 No Comments
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What began in 1970 as a plea for Americans to protect our planet, has now turned into one of the largest secular observance days in the world –Earth Day! In 1990, Earth Day became a global event calling every human on the planet to help protect and preserve it. Annually, more than a billion people take part in Earth Day, which falls on April 22nd (this Friday), by striving to bring about awareness of how we treat the planet, the impact of human behaviors, and local and national policies affecting environmental change.
If we are aware, we can act. The Babbling Brook is pleased to present 10 simple ways to celebrate Earth Day—small changes that go a long way toward healing the earth.
1. Plant a tree
Need to fill that wide open space in your backyard? Can’t decide what to put there? Why not plant a tree? Trees produce oxygen through photosynthesis, absorb pollutants in their leaves, can reduce stress, and provide excellent shade which can bring down energy costs. In other words, they are great for the environment and help our planet prosper. (Be sure to check your local plant nurseries to see the optimal time to plant certain trees, or find out which types of trees would grow best in your area.) Curious to know more about the excellent qualities of trees, check out the National Wildlife Federation.
2. Plant flowers
Don’t live in an area where you can grow a tree? No worries, you can still help our planet become a better place by planting flowers –even if they are simply in your apartment giving you a boost of oxygen and stress relief. Check and see if your apartment complex has a community garden. Willow Brook at Delaware Run and Willow Brook Christian Village both have resident led community gardens among the Independent residents. And Willow Brook Christian Home has a community garden of raised beds in their courtyard.
3. Reusable Containers
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. This is a mindset and a lifestyle! Do you ever bring your lunch to work or school? Earth Day would be a great day to start utilizing reusable containers. Don’t stop after just that day, continue using them, make it a habit. Another great way to cut down on waste is to bring a reusable bag the next time you go to the store. If you must use single-use plastic bags (like grocery bags), either recycle them by taking them back to the store (there are usually receptacles for this) or re-use them for carrying things. (Check out this nifty way to make a sleeping mat out of plastic bags).
4. Join a Clean-up
Have you ever been driving along the highway and noticed fast food wrappers, cans, and various other trash covering the grass of the median like a toxic confetti? Perhaps you’ve noticed a plastic grocery bag bobbing up and down in the breeze as it snagged on a tree.1 You can change that today by joining a trash clean-up in your area. Teens, it’s a great way to get community service hours!
5. Feed the birds and learn about how to care for the wildlife in your area
Another great way to celebrate Earth Day is to feed the birds. Set up a bird feeder outside your window, in your backyard, or on your porch. Be sure to do some research first to know what types of seeds are best for them. Although they are cute and will willingly take it from you, do not feed ducks bread. It is not healthy for them – think of it like feeding your child too much candy, they will take it from you and eat it if you give it to them, but they will not feel good later. Contact your local wildlife centers if you have any questions or concerns about wildlife in your backyard. Preservation Parks is a fantastic resource for those in the Delaware, Ohio area.
6. Turn off the lights!
Too busy to plant a tree or working late at the office on Earth Day and no time to get outside in nature? That’s ok! We have a quick and easy task for you when you leave the room. Turn off your lights. Turning off lights when you leave the room conserves energy. Another great way to conserve energy is to switch to L.E.D. lightbulbs, which are approximately 80% more efficient than a regular light bulb. Check out this article for more information on how L.E.D lighting can help the environment.
7. Recycle that paper!
We hear the term recycle so often in our society that sometimes it no longer registers in our brains. But, there are many basic ways to recycle. Think about it, how can you recycle in your everyday life? Recycle that note paper you just threw in the waste basket, or that empty can of bubbly water. Check out the rules on recycling in your area at your local government site. The front office printer at Willow Brook at Delaware Run gets used across campus by various staff members, and it prints a cover sheet with each print job. Instead of throwing that paper away, our culinary team takes those cover sheets and uses them to write down orders from our restaurant!
8. What about those wind chimes?
Do you like music? What about wind chimes clinking on a breezy day? You can reuse and recycle by taking old jar lids, cans, or bottles and re-purpose them into a wind chime –all it takes is a little string and some glue. (Watch this video for a tutorial.) There are plenty of other fun and environmentally friendly Earth Day crafts similar to this one. Our assisted and independent living residents at Willow Brook at Delaware Run are eagerly awaiting the surprise joint Earth Day craft, coming up on Thursday.
9. Educate yourself
As mentioned in many of the ideas above, the best way to help care for our planet is by educating yourself. Knowledge is power after all. Plus you can have fun learning about new things at the same time. Our assisted living residents at Delaware Run will be playing a game of Jeopardy on Friday, but not just any Jeopardy, Earth Day Jeopardy!
10. Unplug and experience nature
In a society where we are constantly on our devices whether that be our phones, iPads, computers, or TV, it can be easy to get sucked into a world of screens. Not only is it healthy for you to unplug for a bit, metaphorically speaking, it is healthy for the planet to unplug your devices and cords when not in use. How about getting outdoors instead? At Willow Brook at Delaware Run and Willow Brook Christian Village our residents will be taking a nice long nature walk on Friday, soaking in the beautiful natural sites of our campuses, immersing themselves in the landscape and fresh air, and appreciating the beauty of this rock we call home! We encourage you to unplug and do the same! Even one small step towards helping the planet makes a difference. Happy Earth Day!
1. Basic etiquette interruption here: Don’t be a litterbug!