Happy Earth Month! To celebrate, here are six activity recommendations to help benefit the environment and appreciate the nature around us.
#1 Participate in a community cleanup
Upset at the amount of garbage on the ground around campus? You can help! The Sustainability Office is hosting their annual Earth Day Campus cleanup on April 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register by yourself or with a group of friends and pick up your supplies from the DC Green anytime during the event. Return filled bags of garbage to the DC Green and you get a special treat for free. You can find more information and register on the Sustainability Office website.
#2 Go for a hike/walk outside
Looking for a break from studying or a new way to enjoy the spring weather? Go for a hike or nature walk! You can go to a conservation area or park, or even just walk around campus. Laurel Creek Conservation Area is nearby, but there is an admission fee. Otherwise, Waterloo Park is a great walking spot and is really close to campus. My personal favourite, Huron Natural Area, which isn’t close to campus (about 11 kilometres away), but if you’re willing to make the trek (no pun intended) it’s worth it. There are large boardwalks, paved pathways, and a lot of chickadees that love to visit you.
#3 Go thrifting
Searching for that unique piece to complete your wardrobe? Are you in need of a wardrobe refresh? Thrifting is a cheap, accessible solution to your problems! I’ve found some of my favourite clothing pieces secondhand, and it’s one of my favourite eco-conscious activities to do. Unfortunately, WUSA Thrift is still closed for renovation this term, but here are a few local thrift stores I absolutely love:
- Talize
- Goodwill
- Value Village (the one in St. Jacobs in my favourite location in town)
- The Perfect Find
- Thrift on Kent
#4 Go to a free pop-up store
Need any home decor, or maybe looking to get rid of that fake plant collecting dust in your room? You’re in luck, because the Sustainability Office is hosting their last two free store pop-ups for the term this month on April 11 and 18 in the SLC Marketplace. You can stop by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to donate your clean, reusable items like home decor, books, art supplies, and kitchenware or ‘shop’ for new ones (for the low, low cost of free). For the full list of accepted items, you can visit the Sustainability Office’s website.
#5 Go to the Friends of Waterloo Park Earth Day event
Friends of Waterloo Park is hosting their second annual Earth Day event on April 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Waterloo Park’s Picnic Shelter 6. The event features a community cleanup (with gloves and garbage bags provided), e-waste collection and educational activities, with 4Repair KW attending to offer advice on whether or not your electronics can be repaired. The KW Library of Things will also be there to talk about their lending library. More information can be found on their Facebook page.
#6 Visit a local plant-based restaurant or cafe
Looking to try some plant-based food? Waterloo Region is home to several plant-based restaurants and cafes. My personal favourite is Cafe Pyrus, a vegan cafe in downtown Kitchener. They offer delicious vegan pastries, gluten-free options, organic dairy and great coffee. They also have an outpost in Waterloo that’s just off the Spur Line Trail. Some other places I’ve heard good things about include Copper Branch and Odd Burger.
Other things to do:
- Swap clothes with your friends.
- Mend your clothes instead of throwing them away.
- Donate anything you don’t need after moving out instead of throwing it away.
- Declutter your inbox! It reduces your carbon footprint.
