Updated May 6th, 2021

Earth Day every day

Heads up! This article was last updated 3 years ago.

Today, April 22, is Earth Day, a day where we celebrate all the natural world provides us, from the air we breathe to the food grown from its soil. At MetroParks, every day is Earth Day — and we hope you will join us in adopting some fun Earth-friendly habits to maintain your commitment to the environment throughout the year.

If you’ve joined us on MetroParks’ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram you may have seen MetroParks’ Countdown to Earth Day Tips. These simple steps are just 10 of many you can include in your daily routine to live more sustainably.

Recycle right: Montgomery County has curbside comingled recycling. Learn more about what you can and can’t recycle at home.
Buy reusable: Swap toss-away items for reusable ones, such as cloth napkins for paper and beeswax wraps for tin foil and plastic wrap.
Meatless Monday: According to the Sierra Club, meat production is the primary source of methane emissions. Try skipping your meat for a day to cut your carbon footprint.
Shop local: Local business don’t have their inventory on the roads as long and your dollars stay in your community.
Start with small upgrades: You might not be ready for solar panels, but switching from regular light bulbs to LED can help you save money and energy.
Get thrifty: It takes a lot of water to produce cotton clothing, and packaging accounts for a lot of waste. Instead of fast fashion, see if you can find cool thrifted threads.
Hydrate smart: Opt to bring a reusable straw and water bottle with you when you head out instead of buying bottled water and using plastic straws in restaurants.
Shop smart: Leave reusable shopping bags in your car. You’ll cut down on your plastic waste and always have them on hand.
Compost at home: Using your food scraps instead of throwing them in the landfill can help cut down on waste and keep your garden looking good.
Talk a walk: Using human-powered transportation such as biking and walking to work or to run errands can lessen your carbon footprint and keep you in shape. Bike Month is this May – a great opportunity to get riding.

Get involved

MetroParks has many opportunities for individuals and families to volunteer to help spruce up the parks throughout the year. In fact, those who picked up Adopt-A-Park service kits are safely cleaning up the parks on their own time and have until the end of the month to submit how much waste and recyclable materials they collected.

Did you sign up for an Adopt-A-Park service kit? Be sure to tag us in your photos, and we’ll share some of our favorites.

Adopt-A-Park is sponsored by Montgomery County Environmental Services, Keep Montgomery County Beautiful, LexisNexis and QEI.

If you wanted to participate in Adopt-A-Park but didn’t get the chance, stay tuned for more information on MetroParks’ annual fall clean up, Make a Difference Day.

Keep it going: Turn one day of service into more by becoming a MetroParks volunteer. A conservation agency, MetroParks’ mission is to protect the region’s natural heritage and provide outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. From caring for our Animal Ambassadors to patrolling the trails, MetroParks volunteers are integral to MetroParks’ conservation mission. Learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Interested in ongoing group clean ups? There are many community clean ups throughout the year, such as The Great Dayton Clean Up.

Leave No Trace

A group of seven principles to follow that help minimize your impact on nature while outdoors, Leave No Trace is something MetroParks asks its visitors to exercise year-round. It’s never been more important for the health and safety of parkgoers and staff. The seven principles are:

Plan and prepare
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of other visitors

Learn more about how you can implement these principles in MetroParks and beyond.

Keep learning

There are so many ways to be a good steward of our planet, from planting a garden to crafting your own cleaner.

MetroParks offers a variety of resources, programs and events that can help you make every day Earth Day. Due to COVID-19, many offerings are currently online. Be sure to check out: