“Reduce, reuse, recycle.”
“Invest in a reusable water bottle.”
“Make the transition to reusable grocery bags.”
“Pledge to stop using disposable straws.”

I’m sure we’ve all heard these phrases before and maybe even try to stick to them. But how often do we invest in learning about our environment, taking new steps to conserve energy and resources and move away from our habits that can be harmful to the Earth? How much time do we dedicate to being outdoors and working to become better inhabitants of our planet?

Usually, only on Earth Day.

This year, celebrate Earth Day at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center on Saturday, April 23, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. during their annual Earth Day Celebration. The event is free, offering activities throughout the day designed to help you engage with the earth and discover new ways to “green” up your everyday life. From 1:00-1:45 p.m. and again from 2:45-4:00 p.m., there will be free fat-tire bikes, kayaks and canoes available for use. “The Lorax” puppet show will take place at 2:00 p.m. by the PWELC Puppet Theatre. This adorable show teaches children to respect their environment and all living creatures and that they can help us preserve the planet for future generations.

There is something for everyone at this event. Exhibits will offer information about water quality, energy efficiency, land management, and much more. Also, the Kandiyohi Soil and Water District will be providing free nitrate testing for visitors if they bring a sample of home tap water in a clean glass jar. Other activities include a one-mile self-led hike on an interpretive trail and a scavenger hunt. Click here to print the on-site scavenger hunt sheet. If you want to celebrate Earth Day the right way, you’ll come on out to Prairie Woods this Saturday to have a mean, green time.

You can also visit Sibley State Park on your own to spend some good, quality time with the land and all it has to offer. Enjoy a beautiful hike on the trails, keeping a close watch for white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, and red and grey foxes known to live around the park. For more great trails to enjoy nature, check out the Glacial Lakes State Trail and the many trails of Robbins Island Regional Park. Other ways to engage in an activity that will help you get to know the ecosystems you live in include: making a bird feeder for your yard, planting your own garden, planting a tree or start composting.

Rather stay indoors this weekend? There’s plenty of other earth friendly activities for you to do indoors as well. Invest in a reusable water bottle or thermos from one of our many local businesses. Shop for your new spring look at used clothing stores, like Bargains & Blessings and New To You. Use reusable bags to load up on groceries, skipping the decision of plastic or paper altogether. Take the pledge to #StopSucking and help eliminate single-use plastic straws. Switch to biodegradable paper straws, reusable straws, or no straw at all.

Earth Day comes and goes every year, romping in with vibrant energy and leaving as suddenly as it arrived. But these suggestions about how to celebrate Earth Day are not only applicable to one day in April. These are things (with the exception of Prairie Woods’ event) that you can do 365 days a year, honoring the planet we live on and the plants and animals and people we share it with. There are plenty of ways to make green choices to celebrate Earth Day, and we cannot wait to try a few (or all of them) out this next week, as well as throughout the rest of the year.

Further information and details on ways to celebrate Earth Day can be found at GrowEnsemble.com and CloudPaper.co.