Happy Earth Day!

It’s the 40th anniversary of Earth Day! So go out there and resolve to do your part — however little — to make our Earth a better place to be.

RECYCLE & REUSE:
Look for these Planet Aid bins near you!
We all know that we have to recycle, recycle, recycle — your bottles, cans, paper. But it’s even better to reuse. Stash a few reusable grocery bags in your car so you won’t forget the next time you go shopping. Hold a clothes swap party with friends. Donate to Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

Or even better, stick your unwanted clothes and shoes in a yellow Planet Aid bin. Planet Aid’s been collecting thousands of tons of clothing, textiles, shoes and books — items that would otherwise have gone to landfills — and reselling them as low-priced clothing in developing countries. There is no remanufacturing involved, just handling and transportation. This lessens production of new cotton and other textile fibers, decreasing the overall strain on our ecosystem. The funds are then used for health, education, child welfare and other development programs in some of the poorest countries in the world. Find a Planet Aid bin (or host one yourself!) near you here.

If you can’t reuse it, recycle. Now you can even recycle your yoga mat. Recycle Your Mat is a national yoga mat recycling organization that not only takes your old mats off your hands, they upcycle, which means they turn an old yoga mat into another useful item, saving nearly 90 percent of CO2 emitted during new mat manufacture. Even better? Recycle your mat with them and get 20% off a new mat at Manduka.com, a yoga supply retailer.

RIDE:

If you really want to make a drastic change, consider a bicycle. Switching out that gas guzzler for a bike just once a week will save loads on emissions and gas money. (Not to mention the wonders it’ll do for your waistline.) And now that the weather is warming up, you don’t have an excuse.

If you really wanna do it in high style, try an Electra Bicycle. They’re colorful, chic and with a patent pending “Flat Foot” pedaling position, made for leisurely making your way through the city.