Often times, Arbor Day tends to be a forgotten holiday that is over shadowed by the Easter rush and financial crisis. A lot of people don’t realize the holiday is upon them and many just don’t know what to do to celebrate. For others, the financial burden of Easter tends to take away from the holiday. There are many ways you can enjoy this amazing holiday without having to worry about the cost. With Arbor Day the holiday tends to be more about what you can do for your environment, rather than how you can spend money to celebrate. With these simple tips and suggestions Arbor Day might become one of your favorite holidays to celebrate and won’t cost you a thing! In fact, you might even get a little money back for your celebration, which will help you always remember this important day.
1. Plant a Tree
One of the greatest things you and your family can do on Arbor Day is plant a tree. There’s a lot of cheap trees available in local stores, but if you’re looking to save even more money you can apply for a free tree from many online sources. You will usually asked to pay shipping, but other than your free tree will arrive ready to be planted. Before planting make sure you look at your home’s plans so you the roots of your tree won’t interfere with the home’s pipes. You may also consider a good place for the tree to provide shade which will help cut down on your cooling costs as the tree begins to grow. Of course, another great choice is to pick a fruit tree which could help you cut down on your home’s grocery bill slightly. Of course, if you live in an area that won’t allow you to plant a tree then you might also consider asking around the neighborhood to see if anyone has a place where you can plant. There may also be an organization that plants trees around the community, which could be a lot of fun to volunteer for.
2. Pick Up Garbage
Unfortunately, trash tends to build up all over the place even when communities have strong littering rules. One way to help out the planet is to take the family to your favorite park and have them pick up the garbage in the area. This will ensure you leave your community looking great and your planet even healthier. Of course, if you don’t really know where to begin then you should always talk to your community center about your activity. Sometimes they will enlist you in a group that does the cleaning on a regular basis, or they will point you to an age appropriate location for cleaning. You may end up in a park outside of your area, or cleaning at your children’s school. Either way you can always use your volunteer time on your taxes for next year, which could help you save money. If you don’t have a lot of extra time though you can always take the kids out to clean up garbage in your own yard and around the neighborhood. Everyone will appreciate your area and you’ll leave your home looking incredible.
3. Garden for Neighbors
We all tend to get a bit busy with life which could have an adverse effect on our lawns and gardens. One way to help out this Arbor day is to take some time out of your day to garden in your own lawn. Try pruning your plants and pulling weeds to leave the home looking nicer and so your plants can grow a bit healthier. Once you’ve worked out your own yard trying asking around the neighborhood to see if anyone else needs help. You may want to go to neighbors who have a harder time getting out first. A lot of the time the elderly will have to pay for help to fix up their yards, so you will be doing them a huge favor by volunteering. You may also consider neighbors who tend to work a lot or have younger children in the home. Once you have asked around the neighborhood you could always branch off to the next block or head to the home’s of people you know need some extra help.
4. Hike
Nothing will show your appreciation for Mother Earth on Arbor Day quite like a hike. This is a great way to get out of the house for absolutely nothing on this important day. Try to find a trail you don’t often get to hike, or keep it casual and hike your favorite trail. You may even want to bring a camera along so you can capture some of the beautiful sights for a special Arbor Day art project later. If you’re bringing the kids along then come up with a scavenger hunt for them as it will keep them busy and will teach them more about the nature around them. You can also pack up a picnic to help make the day even more special. Make sure you pack natural foods like fruits and vegetables to increase your appreciate of nature.
5. Lights Out
Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint on this amazing day is to keep the lights out. Try having a no electricity day, which means unplugging your electronics and spending good old fashioned time with the family. You may want to bring out some board games or spend a lot more time outdoors with the kids. When it starts to get dark outside don’t turn on the lights. Instead, light a fire and spread candles out throughout the home so you can enjoy some quality time without modern conveniences. This will give you a lot of time to share stories, play games and enjoy one another’s company instead of worrying about email and other distracting things. You may even consider hitting the sack a bit early. Since summer is so close it doesn’t tend to get dark until around 8, which is a great time to tuck the kids in and enjoy catching up on a couple extra hours of sleep.
6. Recycle
One thing you can start this Arbor that would make a huge different to the planet is recycling. If you don’t already recycle you may be missing out on an awarding process that helps make this planet much better for everyone else. Recycling can be totally easy an all you have to do is use a separate trash can for papers, plastics and metals. This can be as simple as going to the store to get a new bin or simply leaving out a trash bag for your recycling. Try to get kids in on the task too as they can easily sort their food containers into the correct bin. If you aren’t already doing so then take in your cans and bottles to the recycling center in your neighborhood. You can easily get back a few dollars that can go for more groceries or other treats. When you’ve worked on your home’s recycling you may want to take the message to the neighborhood.
7. Don’t Drive
Cars are one of the biggest polluters on the planet which is why you should make a vow to give up your car for a day this Arbor Day. It might not be as easy as it sounds, but by the end of the day you may feel incredibly happy with your choice to do so. Instead of hopping in the car to go wherever you need consider how far away your destination is. If it isn’t too far then consider walking as this will help slow down your day which could add some relaxation to your life. If it is a bit further, or you need to get to the location faster than try taking a bicycle instead. This is a great workout and will help you enjoy traveling a little more. It may be even more fun if the entire family decided to go biking together. Of course, if you plan on traveling somewhere a bit further, or you don’t want to get sweaty before work then you may want to work out the public transportation schedule. This will ensure you’ll get to your destination without leaving a carbon footprint behind for the day. You’ll also save a little money on gas this week, which can’t hurt your budget.
8. Research
Instead of spending the day at home wondering what you can do to help out the planet try making a trip to your local library. Here you will be able to find ample resources on volunteer services as well as basic things you can do within the home to help out. You should be able to find plenty of books and pamphlets on the cause, but you may have to take to the internet to explore further. You don’t have to go to great lengths to help out though. Even the smallest actions can help cut down on the damage being done to the world. You may find that one simple way to help is to write to or email your local officials about problems within the community. These addresses will be available to you with basic research. You can even create mini projects for the kids that have them write to a congressman about a cause they feel strongly about.
9. Build a Birdhouse
Birds play a big part in the ecosystem, so help them out by creating a birdhouse for your front or backyard. Birdhouses follow simple designs so it should be easy for even the younger family members to get involved. In order to save on resources try to build the house out of scrap wood you find at home, or search through the scrap bins at your local lumber supply store. This will help cut down on the cost and the materials needed. Once you have your design built you can place it just about anywhere outside the home. A tree is one of the best places for it and may help protect the birds from cats in the neighborhood. You may also want to fill the home with bird seeds to help encourage the birds to spend time inside of it. The house will also provide some entertainment for the household as the birds discover their new home.
10. Watch Your Water
One major item we waste a lot of is water. This Arbor Day you may want to concentrate on reducing the amount you use so you can help out the community. In many communities there are already major limitations on water use, but you can go even further by helping the family understand how wasteful they can be. One way to cut down on your water use it to shut down the sprinklers. A quick spritz of the lawn when the sun has gone down can keep your lawn healthy without forcing you to use a whole lot of water. You can also set out a bucket to catch rain water which can be used to water your plants instead of using water from the hose. When you brush your teeth at night make sure to shut off the water between brushing and rinsing as this can be one of the biggest waste of all. You may also consider taking shorter showers or shutting on the water between soaping up and rinsing off.
Arbor Day can be a great day of celebration if you allow it to be. There’s plenty of exciting activities that will ensure your family willy learn a lot and have some fun without spending a penny. So, stop worrying about the excess cash you spent at Easter and concentrate on this wonderful holiday based around our beautiful world and everything in it! You’ll end up saving yourself some money as well as saving the planet!
