The Sustainable Spot

This Monday will mark the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day that was founded by US Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson in 1970. He was inspired to do so after the largest oil spill in recorded history at the time dumped roughly 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the Santa Barbara coast killing significant marine life and polluting the coastline from Goleta to Ventura.  As an alumni of U.C. Santa Barbara who started school there 30 years later in 1999, I can attest to the impact still felt in Santa Barbara from that spill. Every single time me and my friends would come back from a day at the beach we would have black tar stuck to the bottom of our feet and covering our sandals which usually took hours to remove and would end up in the bottom of our bathtubs.

Luckily this spill inspired numerous pieces of environmental legislation and formed the framework of the modern day environmental movement.  Now, with the help of social media and the web, billions of people are participating in movements such as “A Billion Acts of Green”, an international movement to protect the planet and secure a sustainable future. Find out how you can green your Earth Day and participate in many of the Earth Day activities going on around the nation this weekend!

Participate in an Earth Day Festival

Google, Earth Day festivals, to find the activity in your neck of the woods.

1. San Diego: Earth Fair Sunday April 21st, Balboa Park
2. Santa Barbara: Earth Day Festival April 20th- 21st, Alameda Park
3. San Francisco: Earth Day SF 2013 Saturday, April 20, Civic Center Plaza

Join the Movement: Earth Day Network

This is the best site I have found to get involved and join your voice to the billions of people who are already speaking out against climate change and other similar environmental campaigns. Take part in one or all of the four campaigns below to make a difference this Earth Day:

1. Take Action to Protect Our Clean Air: Tell EPA to Regulate Existing Power Plants
2. Pledge to Recycle Your E-Waste
3. Donate to Restore the Canopy: Help plant 10 million trees in impoverished areas
4. Commit to go Solar and receive a $750 credit from Sungevity

Educate yourself on the Environment: Best Online Sources

With millions of resources at the click of a mouse, learning a little more about the environment is easier than ever. Take a few minutes this Earth Day to take a look at how your community is being effected.

1. Mother Nature Network
2. The Nature Conservancy
3. The Daily Green
4. Treehugger

Plan an Eco-friendly Household Activity

1. Plant a tree: This year I am going to plant a tree in honor of my sons birth and I am very excited. Planting trees helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cleans pollution, and 3 trees placed around a single-family home can cut summer AC costs by up to 50%.
2. Grow a vegetable garden: Growing a vegetable garden will help you save on groceries, improve the quality of your food and provide great outdoor exercise.
3. Hold a Garage Sale: Getting rid of the stuff you don’t really need can help generate income and save natural resources.