Earth Day is on 22 April 2024! Here are 8 ways you can do your part to help protect the Earth EVERY day

This is not a test, mamas! Global warming is very much real. Sea levels are rising; the last four years have been the four warmest years in recorded history; natural disasters have increased at an alarming rate; and wildlife on both land and sea is imperilled by an array of manmade threats. If we ignore climate change and the threat of sea level rise, Singaporeans and people around the world could face devastating consequences in the future. Earth Day was created back in 1970 to raise environmental awareness and protest the negative impact of 150 years of industrial development. Nearly 50 years on, the effects of industrial development are worse than ever — and have even accelerated.

As mamas, we all want to make the world a better place for our children. It’s terrifying to consider the issues – environmental and economic – that will confront our children as a result of global warming and pollution, so of course we all want to do our part to not only improve the situation, but teach our children about the importance of environmental conservation. Don’t underestimate the power each of us can hold to make a change!

Swipe through our gallery for steps you can take to help protect Mother Earth today!

Lead image sourced via Trash Hero Singapore

Trash Hero is a global movement whose members (of all ages!) strive to waste as little as possible, reuse as much as possible, and work to preserve and improve the spaces they are in, wherever they may be.

Here in Singapore, Trash Hero is one of many groups that organises beach cleanups, which are a great way to get kids involved by demonstrating the effects of pollution first-hand and showing them that they can make a difference. By the by, beach cleanups are also a great way to get active and spend time outdoors!

Take a look around — how much plastic do you use (and then throw away) on a daily basis? From plastic bags, to utensils, straws, and water bottles, there are lots of little ways where we can start to make a difference. Click on our free downloadable below for some handy tips to reduce plastic waste around the house.

Meanwhile, make every effort to live a zero-waste lifestyle (click for some major inspo to hear how our CEO Emilie manages it!). You can start by frequenting eco-friendly shops like Unpackt and Social Space.

We recently went in-depth to let you know why we should #StopSucking on plastic straws; for starters, it’s estimated that there are billions polluting our beaches, and endangering wildlife in our oceans. Of course, there are plenty of greener alternatives– click here for more info, mama, including where you can pick up metal, bamboo, and collapsible folding straws right here in Singapore.

Traditional cleaning products are filled with horrid chemicals and compounds that not only harm the environment and pollute our water supply, but can also cause irreparable damage to our own bodies. Why not make that extra effort to make your own DIY cleaning products? It’s affordable, easy, effective, and is sure to give you peace of mind, mama!

Take a good, long look at your closet, mama. How much do you actually wear? And do you give much thought to where your clothes from, who makes them, and what materials they’re made from. Did you know the fashion industry is the world’s second biggest polluter after oil?!

There are reasons aplenty to make more sustainable fashion choices, and you can do so by supporting more eco-friendly and fair-trade clothing labels, pruning down your closet to a more sustainable capsule wardrobe, and extending your wardrobe’s lifespan (without just buying new stuff) via fashion swaps!

Do you know what to do with that grody cardboard pizza box? Do you know how to properly dispose of e-waste like broken printers and empty ink cartridges? If you’re unsure, check out this super handy guide to recycling in Singapore from the fab folks at Secondsguru.

And for families in particular, be sure to bookmark their tips on where to donate clothes and toys in Singapore.

Have you heard about forest bathing? It’s a Japanese concept that’s shown to have myriad benefits on physical and mental wellbeing. Given how chaotic life in our crowded city can get, it’s well worth your while (and your kiddos’) to make an effort to get outside for a digital detox and a bit of wildschooling.

Not sure where to go? Click here for a roundup of our favorite parks and green spaces in Singapore! 

The quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world” is often attributed (erroneously, it turns out) to Gandhi. Regardless of who said it, it’s an important lesson to keep in mind when talking to our children about the environment. We can’t just tell our kids to be eco-warriors, we need to show them how to do it, and explain precisely why it matters so much. From explaining things in an accessible and kid-friendly way, to getting our own hands dirty at beach cleanups, there’s much we can do to effect change. If we’re lucky, the kids will pay attention.