Earth Month officially kicks off today, April 1, and at MA it’s another opportunity to share education, increase awareness and start conversations around sustainability and green design.

Sustainability at MA embodies a desire to create a more healthy, equitable, and resilient world. By designing our buildings and our communities to be healthy, equitable, and resilient, we can ensure a world that is both sustainable and regenerative.

As architects and designers, we can be powerful drivers of change. We make many design choices that shape our built environment, and can make a substantial difference in the way our communities consume energy and resources. Throughout the design process, we will be your partner in making the best decisions for you and your companies, communities, and employees.

Throughout the course of the month, we’ve encouraged, and incentivized, our employees to participate in self-led activities that support, and honor, Earth Month, bringing sustainability practices from office to home, and beyond.

Check out some of our recommended activities below for ideas to motivate your own Earth Month events:

Activities to do at Home:

• Set your thermostat to an “Eco” setting (or 1-2 degrees warmer than you normally would set it – if Eco isn’t an option)
• Open windows and turn off Air Conditioning when weather permits
• Research if your Energy Company has options for green energy. Sometimes you can switch to power from a wind turbine at a slight premium from what you usually pay.
• Use Less Single-Use Plastic in the kitchen and bathroom (some examples: swap single use plastic storage bags with reusable ones, swap plastic wrap for bees wrap, swap disposable soap dispensers for bars of soap or reusable soap dispensers)
• Use cold water when washing your laundry as much as possible – this will reduce your energy bill, too.

• Use a refillable water bottle or reusable coffee mug instead of disposable alternatives
• Turn off lights during the day when the daylight is sufficient
• Take Walks with your family
• Plant Trees with your family in your yard or neighborhoods
• FLOW is giving away free trees in Grandview for Columbus people
• Earth Day Tree Planting in Cincinnati (Mitchell Memorial Forest, Triple Creek, and Withrow Nature Preserve – actually on 04.24)
• Listen to Resources Radio (or other sustainability-minded podcast) – a weekly podcast created by Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent, nonprofit research institution located in Washington, D.C. The goal of Resources Radio, like RFF, is to make the latest research insights and policy solutions accessible to everyone. Check it out here: https://www.resources.org/resources-radio/
• Carpool or Bike to work (if you are able and feel comfortable doing so)
• Pack Lunch or Pick Lunch places that use less packaging and single-use plastic
• Participate in Meatless Mondays or look for opportunities to eat more plant-based meals
• Start a Compost Bin

Check out this awesome Earth Day map to see the types of activities happening around the world!

There is also a Virtual Earth Day Weekend 5K Run, Walk, or Bike event. You can find out more and register for it here.

THE HISTORY OF EARTH DAY:
Earth Day actually started “In spring 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force environmental issues onto the national agenda. Twenty million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities. In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency” (U.S. EPA).

Now, according to EarthDay.org, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action and opportunity for civic engagement and volunteerism.