By Alison B. Elliott @thefarmerfoodie
As coronavirus is forcing us to keep our distance, there are still a variety of ways that we can celebrate Earth Day from home! Whether that be growing your own plants or tuning into the 3 day #EarthDayLive event, we can come together and show our commitment to our planet!
Today marks the 50th Year of Earth Day and we want to share with you some creative ways you can celebrate our Earth from home!
Outdoor Activities
Tyre Beds
One byproduct of the Covid-19 pandemic is that many people are now considering growing their food. Upcycling is creating a more valuable product from something that has already been used! Do you have any old tyres in your garage? If you do, you can create your own raised garden bed. Hose off the tyre before you begin this project. You can even dress up the tyres before finishing with a coat of paint. Let’s get started!
How to create raised tyre beds
Step 1: Find a good sunny spot to place the tyres and your new raised garden bed.
Step 2: Fill the tyres with organic soil.
Step 3: Plant flowers, vegetables, or herbs.
Step 4: Water and care for the plants daily.
Every time you pick and use an herb from your raised tyre bed, you will be reminded of the positive impact you made by your participation in Earth Day 2020.
Raised Root Display Boxes
Another fun activity you can engage in at home is building your own raised root display boxes. What are raised root display boxes? They are boxes above ground that are filled with organic soil and plants.
The front of the bed is lined with plexiglass so that you can see the roots as they grow and progress over time.
Growing crops such as beets, turnips, radishes, and carrots are really fun because the vegetables grow underground. When you flip open the front of the bed, you have the unique opportunity to see the roots growing.
Plantd.co Tip: When constructing your raised root display boxes you must drill holes at the bottom of the boxes for drainage!
Tea Tin Planters
Do you have old tea tins that are not being used? If not, upcycle your canned vegetable tins, they work just fine!
Reuse old tin cans & handpick fresh herbs from your balcony or windowsill for dinner pots, pizzas, and salads!
How do I do it?
1. Save & source old tea tins or vegetable cans from your kitchen
2. Decorate them however you like (optional)
3. To avoid cutting a hole at the bottom of the tin to drain, apply a small layer of pebbles in the bottom
4. Place seedlings in each tin, soak in water, & watch them grow!
Fastest growing greens: Kale, Basil, Coriander, Rocket, Parsley
Tip: Top your next vegan pizza with fresh basil or use it to create vegan pesto…
Indoor Activities
If you can’t get outside or plant anything this Earth Day, don’t worry; there are still ways you can celebrate and protect our planet from home! You can cook a plant-based meal and tune into #EarthDayLive!
Attend a Virtual Event
There is an array of digital events being held online today around the world! We are tuning into the 3 day #EarthDayLive stream happening right now!
Earth Day Live is a three-day livestream and “online mobilization” event aimed at building an online community to expand the movement and motivation towards climate justice!
“In the midst of a global pandemic, Earth Day Live aims to spur collective action to protect our communities and our planet, through performances, conversations, and training sessions curated by climate activists,” – Earth Day Live
Celebrity musicians Jack Johnson, Moby, Questlove, Jane Fonda, Al Gore and Jason Maraz are among the many performing throughout the 3-day event!
Earth Day Live will be live from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET on April 22nd, 23rd, and 24th at www.earthdaylive2020.org and accessible to watch on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch.
Get Creative in the Kitchen
Vegan Chive Pesto by @thefarmerfoodie
- Chives, 3 cups
- Olive Oil, 1/2 cup
- Raw Cashews, 1/2 cup
- Nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup
- Salt, 1 tsp
- Pepper, 1 tsp
Blend and enjoy with cooked pasta, cooked spaghetti squash, on avocado toast, on bread, mixed in with scrambled tofu, or as a dip!
While you are enjoying your plant-based meal, you can watch an educational documentary! We recommend the following:
Food and Diet Related Documentaries
- Game Changers
- Forkes Over Knives Cowspiracy
- Eating Animals
- Rotten – series on Netflix
Environmental Documentaries:
- The Biggest Little Farm
- King Corn
- Before the Flood (free)
- Ice on Fire
- A Plastic Ocean
We hope these #StayAtHome Earth Day projects help you stay inspired, creative and passionate about protecting our planet! We can’t wait to see what you get up to at home this Earth Day!
Alison is an Education Manager on an organic farm in Millerton, NY. After studying sustainability in college, she wishes to share her passion for the environment and agriculture on her platforms The Farmer Foodie @thefarmerfoodie.