Five Simple Choices You Can Make for a Healthier Planet
April is Earth Month, a time to reflect on how our daily choices—like relying on fossil fuels, fast food, and single-use plastics—impact the planet. Whether you're at home, on campus, or out in the community, small steps toward energy conservation can add up in a big way. Read about five simple choices that can make a difference.
Reduce Waste
Your trash may be a garden’s treasure. Composting food scraps reduces the amount of waste that will eventually end up in a landfill or a trash incinerator.
Fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds from your kitchen can all be recycled into fertilizer, as can dry leaves, twigs, and even shredded paper. If you don’t have a space for composting, check to see if your community offers a composting program. Learn more about composting opportunities.
Volunteer for a Community Clean-up
The Chicago area is home to several community clean-up programs dedicated to properly disposing of street waste. On Friday, April 27, Downtown Evanston, The Woman's Club of Evanston, and Brightview Landscaping will gather with gloves and trash bags for an Earth Day clean-up in downtown Evanston. All ages are welcome, and participants will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Evanston E-Gift card. Visit the Downtown Evanston Clean Up site for more information and to register.
Conserve Water
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average person uses a lot of water, and energy is embedded in every drop. It doesn't take a lot to conserve how much water you use; this can include opting for showers over baths, only washing full loads of laundry, turning off the sink while brushing your teeth or shaving, and fixing a dripping faucet. Learn more about water conservation.
Shop Sustainably
When choosing a store to buy from, you can reduce carbon emissions and waste by shopping for food and personal items locally. A shopping trip (even online shopping) can involve numerous unnecessary papers and plastics. Bring a reusable bag (like a tote bag!) to carry your items. If you’re buying clothes, look at labels listing sustainable materials. Toolkit: How to Sustainably Shop for Your Clothes.
Consider shopping at thrift stores for clothing, furniture, and household items, or donating unwanted clothing to non-profit organizations such as Goodwill and Cradles to Crayons rather than contributing to landfill waste. You can even make extra money by bringing gently used clothing to resale shops like Crossroads in downtown Evanston!
Plant or Donate a Tree
We can thank trees for the air we breathe, and for being our oldest and strongest line of defense against climate change. The Forest Service Plant-A-Tree program has allowed for individual donations to be used for reforestation projects across the National Forest System. Your gift of trees helps to reforest public lands that future generations will enjoy. Learn how to donate a tree.
Spread the word! Being environmentally conscious can promote positive changes. Even a few small changes in your daily life can lead to big environmental changes. Visit the official Earth Day 2025 website to learn more about how you can be a good steward of the Earth.