Earth Day is an annual event created to celebrate the planet's environment and raise public awareness about pollution. The day, marked on April 22, is observed worldwide with rallies, conferences, outdoor activities, and service projects. While this year most organized cleanups and activities will likely be suspended, there is still much you can do to recognize and contribute in Seekonk.​

​Here are some simple Earth Day ideas from your local land trust:

1. Anyone can make a difference by simply incorporating little changes into a daily routine. Plant some trees, pick up trash along your roadway, clean up a stream, help a neighbor, use organic lawn care products, start to compost, recycle, go vegetarian for a day each week, use a certified natural skin-care product, or take a walk and bring along a bag for trash.

• Take a walk in nature and simply appreciate it! We have about 900 acres of preserved land in Seekonk—much of which is open to the public. Park at the Library and walk the trails behind The Meadows around Gammino Pond. Use the lot across from The Grist Mill to access SLCT trails on the north side of Burr’s Pond at the Martin Reserve; the south side has some shorter walks and a lot for cars by the waterfall. A simple and beautiful walk is accessible off Chestnut Street where a 3-car lot allows access to the Cushing Reserve with a pond and a bench—a good quiet place to hear spring in bloom. And the Audubon Society owns Caratunk Wildlife Refuge on Brown Street, recently renovated with new parking and trail signs throughout their 2 miles of trails. They also feature bluebird boxes and Purple Martin colonies to enjoy birding. And, if you are up for a longer walk there is a lovely trail around the Turner Reservoir accessible from the lot at Route 114 and Ledge Road.

• A simple way that everyone can celebrate Earth Day to make the world a better place is to turn off the lights at home and work—not just sometimes—all of the time when not in use. It may sound simple, but you could be saving energy for us all and helping to make the world a little better.

The Seekonk Land Conservation Trust is a nonprofit organization of volunteers established in 1967 dedicated to protecting natural resources and preserving open space in Seekonk. To promote a broader understanding of important environmental issues, consider committing yourself to service on or around Earth Day.