Thursday, April 22, 2010 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.  Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment and is celebrated all over the world.  It is a perfect time to think about the impact you have on the environment, make a commitment to learning more, knowing how you can help to protect it and living sustainably.  What, exactly, does green or sustainable living mean? Different people use different definitions, but it all comes down to one fundamental concept: The Earth’s resources shouldn’t be depleted faster than they can be replenished. From that concept comes everything else, including caring for the environment, animals and other living things, your health, your local community, and communities around the world.  Reduce Consumption – Anything that you can do to decrease the amount of the Earth’s resources that you use is impactful.  Reduce the amount of energy, water and materials that you use.  Choose Carefully – Assessing where certain products and services come from by thinking about their entire life cycles from manufacture to disposal. How did this item get into your hands and what impact did it have on the environment?  Thinking in this way helps you to make the greenest choices possible.  Reduce, Reuse and Recycle all day long-  Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products – these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take your drink container with you, and don’t use any disposable plates or cutlery. Recycle all the things you do use for the day or find other uses for things that you no longer use. Carry a cloth bag for carrying things in and recycle your paper bags. Travel Responsibly- As an eco- traveler, it is your responsibility to prevent or minimize any negative impacts on the environment, local community and economy of the destination you are visiting. 

Here are some Earth Day Actions that you can commit to on Earth Day and every day: 
• Limit the length of your shower and turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth.
• Walk, bike or use public transportation- car pool, use public transportation or drive a fuel efficient car – reduce your carbon footprint by 1 pound for every mile you do not drive.
• Turn off the lights in the rooms you are not using.
• Turn off computers at the end of the day and turn off power strips at the end of the day.
• Invest in a reusable mug, cup or bottle- don’t buy any plastic bottles
• Try to use as many recyclable containers as possible.
• Recycle & Compost properly in the office and at home.
• Open blinds instead of flipping the light switch and open windows instead of using the air conditioner.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Donate old clothes, electronics and furniture.
• Get rid of paper waste by going electronic whenever possible.
• Shop and buy locally- buy local products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass – reduce your garbage by 10% and your carbon footprint by 1,200 pounds a year
• Buy organic food because the chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce.
• Styrofoam Lasts a Really, REALLY long time – Try 500 years or more. Millions of burger boxes, packing peanuts, and take-out containers, sitting in landfills, not biodegrading. • Use Cloth Instead – Carry cloth shopping bags. Use rags or towels instead of paper towels for cleaning.
• Make a donation- the green movement has really come into public awareness thanks to the efforts of environmental nonprofits. These organizations run on shoestring budgets and are managed by volunteers who frequently receive little or no pay, yet they speak for hundreds who feel that the planet is worth saving.  Support them by making a donation.

Earth Day tips for Greener Travel:
• Choose your travel provider on the basis of their eco principles and practices.  Leela Travel promotes sustainable tourism, involving community/environmental projects and partnering with eco-sustainable resorts.
• Educate yourself about the destination you are visiting by reading guidebooks and travel articles.
• Be aware of local history, culture and customs of the locals before arriving. By making the effort to learn even the basics it will be appreciated by locals; and enrich your experience.
• Learn about the vital eco-systems before arriving.
• Participate in voluntourism & give back to the local communities
• Use local transportation, guides, inns, restaurants and markets to benefit the local economy.
• Comply with international environmental conventions. Do not buy any animal products while travelling. Do not remove any objects, plants or animal products from nature. Not only can these affect fragile ecosystems, but is also illegal.
• Conserve Resources. Be aware of resource shortages such as water and food as many tourist destinations are under increasing pressure.
• Don’t leave your eco-sense at home when traveling: Turn off lights, conserve water (avoid lengthy showers in water-needy spots) and use air conditioning and heating sparingly.
• Consider your carbon footprint when using air travel by buying carbon offsets- a system by which an individual or an organization can compensate for their own carbon emissions by investing in energy alternatives, including wind power, or hydroelectric energy, or other Greenhouse gas reduction strategies.