EARTH DAY: SIX SIMPLE WAYS TO PROTECT OUR PLANET

By Genevieve Timler | Staff Writer

GIVE BACK

• Maintain the gardens at Botanica by helping with one of their Weed and Feed events.
• Restore the trails at Great Plains Nature Center with their Native Garden Club or trail maintenance team.
• Clean Wichita bike trails with “Bike-Walk Wichita” every 3rd Sunday of the month for one hour.

MOVE GREEN

• Explore Wichita by using the Bike Share ICT app to grab a rental bike for short trips downtown or to Riverside.
• Carpool with a friend and reduce solo commutes to help lower Wichita’s ozone levels.
• Skip the drive and walk to places within short distances to reduce your carbon footprint.

SHOP SMALL

• Buy fresh, local produce to avoid the carbon emissions produced by food transportation.
• Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store to reduce plastic waste.
• Shop seasonal items to reduce the energy used for greenhouse growing and long-term cold storage.

POWER DOWN

• Unplug idle cords to stop “vampire” power waste and cut carbon emissions.
• Use “Energy Saver” modes on all
  electronics to lower the city’s total power demand.
• Wash laundry on cold to save 90% of the energy normally used for heating water.

RECYCLE RIGHT

• Dispose of hazards safely by dropping off old paint, batteries and electronics at the Sedgwick County Hazardous Waste Facility.
• Minimize single-use containers by switching to reusable water bottles.
• Compost food scraps like fruit peels and coffee grounds to reduce waste in landfills.

THRIFT FIRST

• Shop local thrift stores for a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to fast fashion.
• Extend the lifecycle of your clothes by donating to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
• Repurpose or repair broken furniture and used clothes, to reduce waste in landfills.