APRIL ARTICLE: Get Involved. Volunteer on Earth Day during National Volunteer Month

Earth Day, Wednesday April 22, is a day to raise environmental awareness and take action to preserve and protect our planet.

Ensuring clean air, clean water and a healthy environment is essential. Everyone has a role to play and can make a difference. There are many ways to get involved on Earth Day. Attend an event, gain a better understanding about Earth Day and share that knowledge with others.

 Here are more ways to recognize and support Earth Day:
·   Plant a vegetable garden. Not only will it provide you with nutritious food, but it will also help to reduce carbon emissions.
·   Consider planting native plants in your yard to support bees, butterflies, and songbirds, which are among nature’s pollinators.
· Support “sustainable fashion”. One way to do this is by choosing clothing made from organic fabrics or natural fibers such as cotton, silk, wool, and linen, as these materials are more environmentally friendly.
·   Consider shopping for clothes or household items at thrift and vintage shops. Donate unwanted clothing or other items to a thrift store or to a charity.
·   Plant a tree. Trees clean the air while also providing a natural environment for animals and other organisms.
·   Choose an alternative to plastic shopping bags, such as cloth or reusable bags.
·   Commemorate Earth Day. Enjoy spending some time at a nature preserve, hiking a local trail, or walking along the shoreline.

 

Volunteer
Did you know? April is National Volunteer Month! Let us honor and celebrate volunteers who help make a difference in the lives of so many and in the communities they serve.

 Volunteers generously dedicate their time and effort to make a positive impact in countless ways.

 A few examples of volunteer opportunities include:

 ·   Joining a community clean-up event. For example, at a beach clean-up, volunteers remove trash and other debris from the coastline.

 ·   Volunteering to help maintain a hiking trail or wildlife sanctuary.

 ·   Tending a community garden or volunteering at a community farm.

 Whether you would like to volunteer on Earth Day or you are seeking other volunteer opportunities, there are all sorts of volunteer opportunities that may fit your lifestyle.

 Consider becoming one of the 63 million Americans who volunteer each year. To learn more about volunteer opportunities in your community and at OCES, visit ocesma.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) is one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and is the largest provider of in-home and community-based services for older adults and people living with disabilities in the southeastern part of Massachusetts. We invite you to visit our website, www.ocesma.org, to learn more.

 

Source: EarthDay.org. https://www.earthday.org/action/