Dave Ryan

Dave Ryan

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Daily Ideas to Celebrate Earth That Make a Difference

Monday, April 22 is Earth Day and our show is cleaning up our adopted stretch of Highway 7 between Knollwood Mall and Hwy 100. We'd love to have your help!

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This is Kelly Parker. Kelly is 20 and listens to our show in Owatonna. She texted me Monday with a great idea. Each day for a week, challenge people to do something to help with the environment. Big or small, every little bit helps. And if we learn something or form a habit in the process, even better.

Here are the ideas Kelly suggested to help the environment. The challenge is to do all of these on a particular day this week. Don't worry if you started late and missed a day or two. Do something rather than nothing to help save the planet!

Extra idea? Post about doing these challenges and tag your friends to encourage them to do them too!

MONDAY, APRIL 15

This is an easy one. Talk to your kids about the planet. Remind them to turn off lights or the TV when they leave the room. Remind them not to litter and to be conscious of how they affect the planet. It's an easy dinner conversation, or car-ride conversation, and you never know what your kids will remember forever.

TUESDAY APRIL 16

Start a recycling bin for your aluminum cans. Even a trash bag will work just fine. Save your cans and take them to one of the many can trailers you see in your neighborhood. I can think of at least 3 in Chanhassen, for example. If you don't see a can trailer, look at your local public school's parking lot. If you already recycle, great! Keep it up!

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

Take a shorter shower and encourage your family to do the same. We all love to relax and enjoy a long, warm shower, but keep this one quick. It'll not only save you time, but it'll help conserve energy.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

Donate to a charity or cause that helps protect the environment. Here are a few suggestions and a link to each to learn more about them.

National Audubon Society

Natural Resources Defense Council

Marine Conservation Institute

Earth Day Network

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

Go for a walk and pick up litter! It's supposed to be beautiful on Friday so it'll be a great day to get outside. Take along a trash bag (or two) and pick up litter. It's everywhere. I will never understand why people litter, but they do, and someone has to clean it up. That's where you come in. Is it fair? No, but it feels good.

Closeup on mineral water bottles in raw and lines

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Don't buy or drink bottled water. People go after plastic straws like they're the cause of all the world's environmental problems. A much bigger issue is plastic water bottles. First of all, we all know that our tap water is safe. (We don't live in Flint, so we don't have water issues) We also know it's cheap. WAY cheaper than bottled water. Use tap water and one of the dozens of water bottles you have lying around the house.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

Don't drive. I know that sounds impossible, but with a little planning in advance, you can do it! Stay home and get some projects done, maybe ride your bike somewhere, and postpone that visit to Aunt Carol's house. (Now you have a great excuse!)

MONDAY, APRIL 22 EARTH DAY

This is a big one. Bring a small bag or trash bag with you all day. Any time you create trash, put it in the bag. If you get Caribou, put the cup in the bag. And the receipt too. And the stir stick. And the lid.

If you have lunch, put the napkins, box, plastic fork, everything into the bag. When you wash your hands in a public restroom, put the paper towels in there. We'll stop short of saving any toilet paper!

At the end of the day, empty your bag on the sidewalk or the garage floor and post a picture of it. Everyone on our show is going to do it and I'm guessing we'll be very surprised at how much trash one person creates in a day.

Again, try to do all the challenges you can! I saw a video of Harrison Ford not long ago, and he was ranting about how global warming is real. But he didn't make a single suggestion for how to slow it or stop it. I love Han Solo and Indiana Jones, but in typical celebrity fashion, he wants to bitch and moan, then fly off in his private jet to relax in his 15,000 square foot home in Montana. (that has to be heated and cooled, of course)

Good luck and thanks for caring about your planet! And thank you Kelly for the great idea!

-Dave


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