When you look around, what do you see? Perhaps the leaves of a willow are swaying gently in the wind, or the hum of a hummingbird buzzes through the air as it moves from plant to plant. This year, on April 22nd, many celebrated the beauty of Earth Day through admiring parks, going on hikes, or even reminiscing through old photos.

Though we are constantly surrounded by nature, many overlook the Earth’s radiance. Pedro Calderón de la Barca claimed, “Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.” While having a designated day to celebrate the Earth is great, what about the remaining 364?

When we rely so heavily on Earth’s resources in our daily lives, giving back to our planet needs to be a regular undertaking.

In In his novel Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, Carl Sagan proclaimed “the Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.” Yet, what can be done to give back to the planet we so readily take from?

The website “50 Ways to Help” holds incredible ways to give back, including: changing regular light bulbs to fluorescent bulbs, turning off computers at night, recycling glass, turning off lights in a vacant room, and planting a tree, with the list continuing on.

Sometimes even what seems the smallest of efforts can make the biggest impact. According to “Going Green Today,” the energy saved by switching from a 100 watt incandescent bulb to a 24 watt compact fluorescent lamp would be enough to fuel a car from San Francisco to New York! Imagine the possibilities if more people began to switch to fluorescent light sources. Another study showed that recycling a single aluminum can brings the equivalent of three hours of powered television!

The abilities to maximize efficiency and help care for our planet are endless, but it all starts with taking a first step. Tweet or tag us @bjhspatriotpages with #earthdayeveryday to show us how you are appreciating your planet; and remember, everyday is Earth Day.