There are many programs and activities that can be implemented which can have a huge impact on our environment.

The best place to start is always in the beginning.  Let's begin by learning about the History of Earth Day.  Click here for a very short story of how Earth Day came to be.

Now that you've read the story, can you think of ways to improve the environment?

Here are just a few examples:

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
You can reduce the use of energy in several ways.
-Turn off lights that aren't needed
-Turn off computers, monitors, printers, and other electrical items when not in use
-Unplug chargers (for cell phones and other items) from the outlets when not in use
-Carpool whenever possible and combine trips
-Make adjustments to your thermostat to conserve energy

You can reuse many items for other purposes instead of being discarded.
-Empty glass jars can be reused for canning fresh foods
-Empty cardboard boxes can be reused for storing other materials
-Use the comic section of the Sunday newspaper as wrapping paper
-Empty food cans can be used to construct crafty items (such as the tin man)
-Children's fruit juice packages (Capri Sun, etc.) can be sewn into purses and tote bags and they look great!  They can be decorated with a variety of items such as boas, etc.

You can recycle a number of items to prevent them from going into landfills.
-Aluminum cans
-Newspapers
-Cell phones you no longer use
-Cardboard
-Glass items
-Phone books

Many more ideas can be found by visiting EarthDay.gov.

Another great website about Earth Day is EarthDay.net.

Make wise choices when purchasing products.

	Buy Energy-Efficient Equipment and Appliances EnergyStar.gov states the following.  (Visit their site for more information)
Can you imagine the impact that you could make?	"If every home office product purchased in the U.S. this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, Americans would save $200 million in annual energy costs while preventing almost 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gases – equivalent to the emissions of 250,000 cars."
Using the energy-efficient equipment and appliances not only reduces the energy you use, but also saves you money!	"Did you know that the average home spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year? Change to appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and you can save $75 a year in energy costs, while saving the environment."
	Buy Recycled Products  One place you may not know that recycled plastic can be found is in the manufacturing of automobiles.  Using the recycle plastic can save the manufacturers as much as half the price.  It is combined with new plastic to improve its strength and performance.  It is used in bumpers, splash guards, and in some items found under the hood.  The recycled portion us usually around 20%, added to the new.  Other recycled items include a number of electronics and their supplies.  This is sometimes referred to as E-Waste Recycling.  Some manufacturer-sponsored programs offer free recycling of their brand of products and accept other brands for a small fee.
Look for the "Recycled" symbol	To find out more about E-Waste Recycling (AKA E-cycling) visit the site of the Environmental Protection Agency.  At this site you will find out which items can be recycled or donated, and to whom.

For an extensive list of items that can be recycled, take a look at The Consumer Recycling Guide.