Urban Roots is excited to celebrate Earth Day! Everyday and especially today, we are grateful for how the Earth nurtures us, and we nurture the land in return. This why we use farm practices that are kind to the land. For example, we rotate which fields we plant in to let the soil recover, and why we hand weed instead of using pesticides, even if hand weeding is slow and intensive. The land that we work on is part of the heart of Urban Roots; it is what lets us nourish our community, and what brings our youth and our community together. We wouldn’t be what we are today without the earth we farm on, and the intimate connection it makes between crops and community, food, and people.
While there is much work to do to reduce our impact on global warming and improve our environment, some of the most effective and lasting ways we can make change around us is by investing in our local communities and organizations that are doing the work to improve our planet. So what are some ways you can get involved in Austin? Below are some ways you can invest in our planet (this year’s Earth Day theme) and your local community.
– Join the Earth Day Austin clean up this year, and other initiatives in town. Learn more about Earth Day volunteer opportunities in Austin here!
– We can’t separate our food systems from our ecosystem, and getting involved in local, earth-conscious food efforts like Urban Roots can be a great step! There’s different types of food efforts, from urban farms, to food forests, to community gardens. Volunteering with organizations like Urban Roots or our partners, such as Go Austin! Vamos Austin or Farmshare Austin, can also help you learn more about your community and local food system.
– If you want to live more sustainably, small changes like swapping napkins for rags and alternatives like Swedish Dish Towels can add up. If you have a local refill store or similar online services, you can save waste and still get things you need. Can you think of any small changes you can make in your day to day life?
– And of course, you can always invest in organizations that are making a difference. We have some great smaller and local efforts in town… like Urban Roots! Consider making a donation to Urban Roots this Earth Day, and help us nourish our neighbors and empower youth.
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