Join AM Enterprises and a slew of community members for a rip roaring cleanup of Bridgton on the afternoon of Saturday, April 23 from 3-5 pm. If you cant make it on Saturday, try to make some time to pick up your neighborhood this week. Spring is an amazing time for growth in the forest, returning song birds, amphibian migration- all good things. But, as we know the roadside snow melts and leaves behind all our littering deposits from the winter. Gross! This has become the ubiquitous Earth Day thing to do, to pick up after ourselves. But, maybe we can take a pause and think about some other actions too, as Earth Day really came about to create sweeping changes in our behavior, from the development of the Clean Water Act to changing how automobiles burned fuel. There are lots of ways to do things, join us Saturday to do some clean up, and try some of the things below!
Host a clothing swap with friends (especially fun as a potluck!) Here are some tips on how to get started.
Evaluate your driving habits and determine how to drive less (extra bonus with the higher gas prices…) See if you can do at least three errands on your trip out, instead of just one. Check out the carbon footprint calculator to find out how you can reduce your use!
Plant something! Trees and plants store carbon, and they’re beautiful! Check out the Wild Seed Project for native suggestions to support pollinators and birds too!
Use less, period. Think before you purchase something new, from new clothes to a new vehicle. Purchasing less will not only be helpful to our pocket book, it helps us tread lightly on the earth’s resources, fuel and water. Yes, water! Check out the water use calculator to find more about water “hidden” in the products we use everyday!
Advocate! Sign up to receive information about legislation at the Maine State House and how you can use your voice to connect with local politicians for change in your neighborhood! The Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Advocacy Alerts at Maine Audubon are great places to start.