Earth Day 2021

So Earth Day 2021 is just around the corner on Thursday 22nd April, with the theme of ‘Restore Our Planet’. Sounds like a big job, right? Well, as always you can do your bit to help out.

And for once, this blog post isn’t about us flogging stuff - though some gifts can be both good for the Earth and for the soul, more consumption just wouldn’t feel right this week.

Instead, here’s a simple list of tiny efforts with a big impact which we can all make.

• By now you’ve probably heard how vital pollinators are (we have these bee houses in stock, or you can make your own), but did you know not weeding out dandelions can help them? This weed is a ‘superfood’ for bee larvae in April and May, so maybe park the lawnmower for a few weeks and bee kind. Get it? Bee? Anyway...

• Alongside dandies, all kinds of wildflowers attract native and beneficial insects. This improves pest control and pollination. Add a honeysuckle to your garden and you’ll see a boost in pollinators popping by this summer. 

• Feeling energetic? Try a bit of plogging! Calm down, now - it’s the art of picking up rubbish when out jogging or walking. Bring gloves, find a bin or recycling point and drop it in. Instead of counting steps, count pieces of rubbish taken out of our parks and green spaces. It’s already a craze among hikers in Ireland’s wilds and deserves to be A Thing in the city, too.

• Your spring clean needn’t cost the Earth if you get scientific - making your own home cleaning sprays and solutions is a real trend right now, and they usually contain biodegradable, natural products. Seriously, white vinegar can do almost anything. Learn how to make your own detergents here.

• Consider your diet and the impact it makes on the environment. Check out the Slow Food movement (which is thriving here in Ireland) and its emphasis on eating locally-grown traditionally-made products. Plus, nom nom nom.

• Lastly, TELL THE KIDS! Word of mouth, gentle education, and being a good example to our little people is possibly the most important environmentally conscious thing we can be doing right now. These little ones are going to inherit our earth - so teaching them how to respect it and do less harm is a really honest expression of care and love.

This Earth Day, get out there and enjoy it; say hello to a dog, smell some grass, do a little skip along the shore, drink (recyclable) cans in a park. It’s your Earth, and you’re doing your part.

HAPPY EARTH DAY EARTHLINGS! 

With Earthy, Restorative Love, 

 designist