Each April 22 is a time to respect the environment and marvel at Mother Nature: Earth Day. Founded in 1970, Earth Day has been used as a platform to not only celebrate the world we live in but to also draw attention to problems faced in nature every day. Recycling, water conservation, pollution and deforestation have all been focused on in the past.

After witnessing the effects of an oil spill in 1969, Sen. Gaylord Nelson set out to make Earth Day a reality. While many think this holiday has only spawned backyard flower planting projects, the truth is many large scale changes have happened. For example, Earth Day demonstrations led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. And it's because of these projects that more and more people get interested in the movement. Fox News estimates more than a billion people from 192 countries will participate in some environmental project on Earth Day 2013.

Aside from taking online conservation training or online landscape design courses here at Ashworth, you can do many other activities to expand your knowledge of the Earth and ways you can save it.

Are you doing any Earth Day projects this year?

It's a widely known fact that styrofoam containers don't break down the way other recycleable products do, which is why the country of Haiti is looking to ban them.  Styrofoam isn't the only to-go container Haiti has put the stop to.  Plastic bags and foam containers are now off limits due to ocean pollution, clogging canals, endangering animals, and the cluttering of streets.

This ban causes a problem for many in Haiti.  Street vendors use these black plastic bags and other containers for dishing out their food and the poor of the country use them for carrying items to sell on the street.  And while this ban may benefit the environment, those who are feeling the effects of the ban want the government to offer them an alternate option. 

"It's fine if the government wants to ban the containers but it also needs to create an alternative,” said street vendor Innocent Petit-Frere.  "You have to eat, and you just can't put the food on the ground," he said from his store as co-workers piled bags of imported rice.”

As a student in online conservation school, what do you think of this movement?

This summer has been one of the hottest, and dryest, on record for many states.  All across the United States, farmers are feeling the strain of their crops dying due to lack of rainfall.  This problem isn't only an issue for the farmers, but it affects every person.  All food prices will go up because it is scarce.  Even meat will inevitably rise in price due to the animals not being able to be fed properly.

Along with the farmers, those in conservation careers have been working to get the government to aid their problem.  While the house and the senate have both voted to try and help fix this problem, it doesn't look like there will be much relief any time soon.  They each approved their own version of what should happen and neither side can agree on who's idea was better. 

“Our severe concerns around droughts in the West and across the country are critical,” Colorado Democrat Jared Polis said. “But we mustn’t gut programs that are some of the very programs that can help prevent the impact of droughts in seeking to bail out a particular industry.” 

What do you think of this?

While the kids are home from school this summer, do a fun, environmentally friendly project instead of sitting in front of the t.v. all day.  Instead, head outside and create something that doesn't cost a lot of money and can still be fun.  By making a bird feeder ornament, you'll hold their interest, help the animals, and make memories together.  Here are some easy instructions on how to do this.

What you need

• 1 oz Gelatine
• Birdseed
• Boiling Water
• Molds
• Yarn or string (for hanging loops)'

Instructions

1. Add one oz of Gelatine and one cup on boiling water to a mixing bowl.  Stir until the gelatine dissolves.
   
2. Add about 3 cups of birdseed to the mixture.  The amount will vary depending on what kind of birdseed you use, but you want the consistency to be pretty stiff.
3. Spoon or scoop the mixture into molds
4. Cut your yarn that you will use to hang your ornament.  Knot one end and stick it into the seed cake.  Pack birdseed mixture all around it so when it dries, you know your string will stay in place. 
5. Wait for the gelatine to dry.  This may take a while but putting it in the fridge should help them harden faster.
6. To get the cakes out of the mold, simply dip them into cold water and they should slide out.

As a conservation student, would you make these with your kids?

Springtime is officially here which means warm weather to enjoy all of the outdoor fun you missed out on in the winter.  Pool time, walks in the parks, and mountain biking on trails are all fun and environmentally friendly ways to enjoy the weather.  But when you get tired from your activities and want to eat some lunch, your picnic should also be green.  Here are some ways to bring the environment back to the picnic.

• How often will you use that picnic basket once the event is over? Although it looks cute and is something fun to use, the basket isn't going to make or break your picnic.  Instead, use a bag you already have and try to save the environment by not wasting any materials or creating any more trash.

• Bring your own dishes and containers you can take home with you and wash.  While doing dishes is never fun, it's a lot more eco friendly than bringing paper plates you'll toss after one use. 

• Buy local food from a farmer's market to eat on your picnic.  This helps support the local economy and it's fresher too.

• Bring re-usable water bottles to drink from or a jug from home and cups.  This will benefit the environment because you're not getting rid of plastic bottles or coke cans at the end of the day.

• Remember to leave the picnic area just as you found it - meaning no littering.  By picking up all of your trash, you're helping the environment, the animals, and the other people to have a nice area to enjoy.

As a conservation school student, what other tips do you have?

Not every environmentally friendly project has to take all day.  In fact, there are little changes you can make that will really change both your life and the well being of the environment.  Working out is good for your body, soul, and now it can be good for the Earth.  By simply making these easy changes, you can benefit the world around you while working on yourself.

• Bring a thermos with you to the gym.  This will help you stay hydrated and it will also conserve water.  By not letting the water fountain run constantly, you're saving water that way.  Also, by not bringing plastic water bottles and then throwing them away once you're done, you're helping reduce the amount of waste that goes into the landfills.

• Use a rag instead of a paper towel to dry off and to clean your equipment.  Many gyms have paper towel dispensers and hand sanitizer around so you can clean yourself and the machines once you're done.  Instead, bring a small washcloth or towel with you.  This will eliminate garbage, save trees, and is also just less rough on your face.

• There are eco-friendly yoga mats made of recycled polyesters and eco-fibers.  These green yoga mats are also made with organic cotton to ensure you're comfortable when doing the warrior or plank poses.  Plus, they can be reused over and over so you'll feel good every time you use it.

  Do you know any other conservation tips for the gym?

It's turning into springtime and with that comes tons of pollen.  If your car is parked outside, chances are that at some point it's going to be covered in yellow dust.  Because of that, many people's first reaction is to wash their car, however you can waste a lot of water if you're not careful.  Instead, read these tips below to help the environment even when cleaning your car.

• If possible, wash your car on any subject other than pavement.  Grass, gravel, and other natural grounds have enzymes which help break down and use the runoff water instead of simply sending it down the drain.
• If you're simply washing your car, doing it from home is fine.  Use your own biodegradeable soaps and limit the amount of water used.  If you want to do more detailing or hot wax, take it to an eco-friendly carwash.  They recycle their water and have environmentally concious options.
• Look into waterless options.  Select stores do sell waterless car wash options so you can preserve water when you get the pollen off your vehicle.

What other tips do you have?

As the weather starts to warm and people start to put away their winter sweaters and coats, it starts to become obvious that spring cleaning has begun.  Cleaning out closets is one of the first places people go to get a new start in the warmer months.  For clothing that is out of fashion or for children who have outgrown their clothing, there are alternatives to just throwing these materials away.  Here are some ways you can recycle your clothing?

1. Pass them on to someone you know (who can use them) — a cousin, brother, sister, friend, etc. When you do this, you can save unnecessary transport.
2. Look for a Goodwill, Salvation Army, Vietnam Veterans of America, or other such organization to donate the clothes to.
3. Have a garage sale. Make some money off of your old clothes in a green way.
4. Another way to potentially make some money or get something for your old clothes is bring them to a consignment shop, where you can often get a store credit for clothes you donate.
5. Have some stained t-shirts? Tie dye them. We used to do this when I was a kid — loved it.
6. Hopeless old clothes may not be useful for any of the ideas above. In such a case, you can cut such clothes up and use them as rags or handkerchiefs.
7. Sign up to participate in Freecycle or ecofreek, where you can give and get stuff for free as you wish.
8. If you have the skills, or want to try to obtain them, cut old clothes into little squares or other shapes and make a quilt or textile art out of them.
9. You can also try revamping old clothes you are tired of, giving them new decorations, cutting them a bit, or combining pieces of different clothes you like and using the rest as rags or handkerchiefs, as discussed above.
10. Donate your clothes to a textile recycler, like Wearable Collections in NYC, if none of the other ideas above work for you. Or to the company you bought the clothes from if they accept and recycle old clothes.

Would you go green and recycle clothes?