Once again, it's that most popular eco-time of the year! Earth Day is a reminder that each of us counts when it comes to protecting the natural gifts of our planet. Man cannot live without the natural world and its enormous wealth, yet we keep taking from the Earth and consuming more than we actually need. It's far from a fair trade. Let your bartering behaviours guide your eco-conscience. For us to have a healthy relationship with the environment, it takes a balance of give and take. Earth Day is a call-to-action to give back to our planet. Rather than contributing to its destruction, we must take immediate measures toward our planet's well-being.

We hope that April 22nd will inspire you to give back to the planet in your own way. Try taking one positive action to lessen your impact on the environment. Check out our suggested list of simple eco- ideas and show the Earth some TLC!

• Bring cloth bags to the supermarket
• Plant a tree, a flower bed, veggie patch or herb garden. Anything!
• Volunteer for a green cause
• Participate in the Earth Run
• Take a walk in the park and get in tune with nature
• Donate to a green-worthy cause
• Join an environmental group
• Abstain from driving
• Stay away from the mall and don't buy anything brand new for one day. Reduce, reuse and recycle instead.
• Attend an Earth Day event
• Promote environmental awareness with friends, family and community
• Barter away excess belongings and help your items find a new home

Start by picking at least one action that resonates with you and commit to doing it on April 22nd. Maybe you will get an urge to try it again a few days later and eventually turn it into a habit, making every day an Earth Day.

On that note, I'll leave you with a quote as well as a beautiful video reminding us of the bounty and richness of mother nature. Let's play our part in protecting it.

"The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction." by Rachel Carso