Earth Day 2022: Invest in Our Planet | Earth Week in NYC and at Home

Celebrated on April 22 every year, Earth Day is a special day dedicated to honoring nature and reflecting on how we can better nurture Earth and all of its residents. Each year, earthday.org organizes events, activities, and educational opportunities around a central theme. The theme of Earth Day 2022 is Invest in Our Planet.

Earth Day 2022: Invest in Our Planet

All earthlings have a role to play in preserving and protecting our planet. The beauty of this duty is that everyone possesses individual strengths, experiences, and backgrounds, which means people can become involved however they please! This year, as we all reflect on what it means to invest in our planet, we’re all going to resonate with different sustainable practices, be drawn to separate climate actions, and feel hopeful about the future for unique reasons.

For me, Invest in Our Planet means that consumers hold a lot of power in their small hands. While the government and policies have the ability to foster thunderous waves of change, many large corporations possess a similar amount of power. Companies reach levels of success because of their dedicated customers - us consumers who buy their products and services. So, perhaps we are the powerful ones. 

We have the power to invest our time and money in natural materials, carbon offsets, local businesses, and passionate voices. 

We have the power to not spend our time or money on plastic packaging, the fossil fuel industry, or hateful comments. 

We have the power to invest in our planet.

We’re all on a unique, incomparable journey.

I, like you, traverse a continuously evolving journey of both conscious consumerism and convenient consumerism. We’re all trekking along a uniquely carved path scattered with rocks, broken bridges, and tangled spider webs, meaning this world is intricately complicated and challenging. We’re going to stumble along the way. Let’s try to let go of the concept of right vs. wrong, and let’s not linger over what this person is doing vs. what someone else is doing. Instead, let’s focus on trying our best at our own pace!

I spent my Earth Week in New York City and at home with my family. Between a few special opportunities, slow and still connection with nature and people, and a peaceful acceptance of my blemished but blooming sustainable living journey, I had a wonderful time celebrating Planet Earth! I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures, reflections, and efforts during Earth Week 2022!

NYC Trip During Earth Week

Monday, April 18

The week prior to this trip, I learned about a book tour by a climate activist role model of mine. She would be traveling to NYC, LA, and London to speak about her book, sign copies, and meet fans. Although I considered the CO2 emissions required to get there, I spontaneously booked a flight to NYC. I could not pass up this opportunity! Plus, I was overdue for another solo trip. :)

I spent a large portion of Monday traveling. After a four-hour plane ride from Salt Lake City to New York City, I took a bus to Manhattan, where I wandered through the city and absorbed the stimulating atmosphere. There were certainly no mountains in sight, but the looming buildings feel similarly massive. Also, Times Square, NY is much shinier and more packed with humans than Mount Olympus, UT.

I checked into a hotel next to the Flatiron Building and then spent the rest of the night hanging out on rainy Manhattan rooftops with my good friend from college, Evan, an NYC local! It’s so refreshing to reconnect with people I share a ton of fun, wild memories with from years ago. Nowadays, reconnecting with people usually results in deep, meaningful conversations that both challenge and comfort me. On one hand, I love exposing myself to different ideas and fresh, new environments. On the other, I love bonding with another human whose values align rhythmically with mine. Both feel good!

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Tuesday, April 19

I walked about a half marathon around Manhattan on Tuesday! If you love walking as much as I do, it’s a wonderful way to view the city! 

Package Free Shop

After grabbing breakfast in the morning, my first stop in the city was Package Free Shop on Bond Street. Package Free Shop is my favorite sustainable living store! I’ve been purchasing beauty, bath, and kitchen products from them for the past couple of years. Everything is sourced and produced ethically and sustainably, and all products are packaged with zero or very minimal waste.

I’ve learned so much from the founder, Lauren Singer, about how to make sustainable alternatives in your life at a gentle pace. I’ve even picked up a few DIY recipes (all-purpose cleaner, deodorant, laundry detergent, etc.) from her blog and YouTube channel - Trash is for Tossers. 

Their NYC location is now permanent, and it’s absolutely adorable! It’s a tiny shop with minimalist vibes and hosts sustainable products galore, as well as refillable options if you bring in your own container. I purchased a card made of seed paper that blooms wildflowers if you plant it and a cute tote that boasts, “I’m not trash.” I also shared a sweet conversation with the lady working, which was a lovely start to my morning!

I wandered around Lower Manhattan for a while, strolled along the water and Wall Street, and ate lunch with my friend, Evan. By the time I made it back to my hotel, I had traversed over 10 miles through the city!

Bonnie Wright and the Go Gently Brand

So, here’s the reason I spontaneously traveled all the way to New York City. The role model author I mentioned is Bonnie Wright! She’s well-known for playing Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies. As a huge Harry Potter fan, I grew up admiring her, Emma, Evanna, and other remarkable women who played characters I adored.

She played the role of Ginny for ten years. So naturally, many people see Ginny when they look at Bonnie. However, Bonnie took on a whole new image through my eyes over the past few years. Through her climate activism, involvement with Greenpeace, and the founding of her brand Go Gently, she’s the epitome of a hero to me! She’s an inspiration for some of my writing pieces, sustainable practices, and even smaller day-to-day actions because I simply adore her energy!

Her Go Gently YouTube channel educates viewers on various climate topics and how to make gentle life changes that will nurture you and the planet. She advocates journeying down this road at your own pace; there is no right or wrong! When making a sustainable swap, she encourages others to start somewhere in their home that they love. For example, she loves the kitchen. Implementing reflective practices to preserve food and lower waste in her kitchen makes her feel happy and excited, which positively encourages her to continue implementing more practices in other areas of her life.

In combination with this channel, Bonnie also wrote a book called Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet. And this is the book tour I attended! I am beyond grateful for getting to experience her Go Gently book event at Barnes and Noble in Manhattan.

Bonnie Wright’s Go Gently Book Event

At Barnes & Noble, Bonnie sat in conversation with Nike Master Trainer Joe Holder, who interviewed her all about Go Gently. It was an incredible experience sitting in the audience alongside fellow passionate climate activists, listening to her speak in person about some of our favorite topics!

Of the many questions she answered about her book, I’d like to share one takeaway that makes my heart feel happy. Bonnie displays a wholesome connection with Earth’s materials and resources. She mentioned that it’s crucial we take care of what we already own and access. Sometimes, the most viable and Earth-friendly option is something simple that already exists in your cabinet at home. For example, instead of buying new reusable Tupperware to store your food, you could wash and reuse your dusty collection of mason jars. You could also learn to sew (a lovely, mindful old tradition) and patch the hole in your clothing rather than buy a replacement from a store. 

I adore the creative approach to sustainability and want to repeat Bonnie’s view that there is no right or wrong way to go about this journey. Get imaginative and let the process spark joy and inspiration in your heart! Her perspective of Earth's materials, especially the way she speaks about them in her materials YouTube video, is such a comforting, wholesome way to enjoy the gifts on this planet.

Anyway, back to New York. After this wonderful experience, I ended my night with Evan again and enjoyed, quite honestly, one of the best meals of my life at a charming Greek restaurant.

Wednesday, April 20

I woke up super early on Wednesday to take a long walk through the city. I journeyed from Manhattan to Brooklyn across the Williamsburg Bridge to attend another Go Gently event at a coffee shop! This was one of the coziest mornings ever: walking through a sparkly new city near the water to be read to by my role model at a plant-embellished coffee shop while sipping on a latte. I mean… ahh!! I loved it!

Bonnie read the introduction of Go Gently, then answered questions and chatted with fans. I had the chance to ask her about her creative writing process and talk to her for a little bit! Such a happy moment for me. :) I also got to meet new people at this event who share an abundance of common interests with me. 'Twas rejuvenating, let me tell ya!

The rest of the day was spent wandering around Brooklyn and traveling to St. Louis to spend time with my family.

Reconnecting with Family and Home

Thursday, April 21

I spent most of Thursday writing blogs about solar energy and intersectional environmentalism for a few of my clients. I also thoroughly enjoyed quality time with my family, a.k.a. my favorite people on this planet, while visiting the very home I grew up in!

Friday, April 22

On Earth Day, I appreciated several lovely nature walks with my boyfriend around nostalgic, homey locations in Columbia, Edwardsville, and Granite City, Illinois. 

I also contributed to CarbonCurb's Kickstarter Campaign to help fund my inspiring friend Eric Wright’s book How to be a Climate Warrior, carbon emissions calculator, and carbon offset program. Eric is the founder of CarbonCurb, an online platform that educates individuals on climate issues and demonstrates how to decrease carbon emissions by committing to the 30 CarbonCurb Actions. If you are interested in learning more about CarbonCurb’s Kickstarter Campaign, read this blog!

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Thank you for reading! Enjoy this lovely day celebrating our magnificent blue-green space rock.