How to Celebrate Earth Day in Style
People all around the world join together one day each April with the goal of keeping Earth green and healthy. Celebrate Earth Day, in April and every day, with these earth-friendly tips from us at Pottery Barn. These pointers will help offer some ways to reduce waste and help you choose products crafted from sustainable materials. Decorate the house or your office with sustainable furnishings. Plan an Earth-centric event, or enjoy some fun Earth Day projects to celebrate the day.
Eco-Friendly Soap Options
Pick soap that’s in environmentally friendly packaging, like paper. This helps reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters your home. Also, choose refillable glass, ceramic, metal or other reusable containers instead of getting disposable plastic ones. Use glass soap dispensers and refill them from large bottles of liquid soap. Then, reuse or recycle the donor bottle so it doesn’t go to the landfill. Or use bar soap and enjoy making your soap part of your bathroom decor. Choose a soap dish that looks great on your counter and matches your other bathroom countertop accessories.
Dinner Table Ideas
Skip the paper towels and use cloth napkins. Using cloth napkins is a beautiful way to add style and charm to your dining room table. Choose napkins that match the design elements you want to enhance in the room. Match table linens to your curtains, a flower in your centerpiece or to a painting on the wall. Or, use napkins to incorporate a contrasting color in your dining area. Put cranberry red napkins on a white tablecloth. Or put light-colored napkins on a dark-hued dining room table to soften the look.
Sustainable and Ethically Sourced Furnishings
Fill your home with furniture made from sustainable and ethically sourced materials. Choose islands built from reclaimed wood for the kitchen. Put plush seating that gets its softness from soy foam and organic fabrics in the living room. Spread luxurious organic cotton sheets and a duvet on your bed. These eco-friendly pieces are available for every room in the house and for outdoor use on the patio, too.
Earth Day Event Ideas
Plan an event that makes it easy for everyone attending to avoid burning unnecessary fossil fuels for a few hours. Host an Earth Day event at home or at a neighborhood park within walking distance of the attendees. Skip the disposable plates and utensils row in the store. Keep the event in the green by using washable, reusable dinnerware and glasses, or use recyclable bamboo options. Plan games and rewards around the eco-friendly theme. Recycle things from around the house to make games and decorations for the event. Decorate old cans or bottles and fill them with silk flowers to hand out as gifts.
Earth Day Project Ideas
Plan a simple recycling-themed crafting party for a few kids. Invite each guest to bring things like empty bottles, threadbare clothing, magazines and old cardboard boxes. Cover the tabletop with an old tablecloth, sheet or tarp. Put out some partially used containers of paint and some bottles of glue as supplies. This is a fun way to use up things that might otherwise go in the trash. Cut the old clothes and magazines into ribbons or geometric shapes. Glue the fabric and paper scraps to the bottles and cardboard boxes. Overlap different colored and textured layers to create a bohemian look and to make the materials stick better. Let the glue dry while everyone enjoys a few snacks.
Enjoy Time Outdoors
Doing something fun outside is one of the simplest tips for celebrating Earth Day. Get out your gardening supplies and hand tools. Plant a tree if space allows. Or, set up some elegant planters and fill them with your summer flower favorites to embellish a smaller area. Mix and match planters that have different heights and shapes to add visual interest. Fill planters with drainage material and fresh soil to get ready for plants. Plant your favorite flowers or vegetables. Then, position the planters around your outdoor space on the ground or on stands and shelves. Fill hanging planters with brightly colored plants that draw the eye upward. Looking out at the open sky and across the horizon helps create the illusion of being in a larger space and gives you a chance to appreciate the natural beauty of this planet we share.