Bio
Skylar Nelsen is a student at the University of Central Arkansas. She is a double major in film and creative writing and is looking to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in May of 2026. She has a passion for storytelling and hopes to pursue a career that allows her to constantly create and have fun.
Earth Day was a huge deal in my household when I was a kid. My mom ingrained the importance of recycling into my head, and my elementary school, Gibbs Magnet School, treated Earth Day like Christmas. In the weeks leading up to our huge Earth Day parade, we worked tirelessly on making signs to hold during the parade. Gibbs had foreign language classes that all students were required to take, so all our signs were made in the respective foreign languages we were learning (mine was Spanish!).
When Earth Day came around, we held our signs, stood with our classes, paraded around the outside of our school (16th Street in Little Rock), made our way around the Dunbar Community Center, and down through the Dunbar Community Garden. We snaked through the garden before making it back up to a field behind our school, where we listened to speeches and celebrated Earth Day.
FIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY
Looking back on how much I did to celebrate Earth Day as a kid, I want to find new ways to celebrate the Earth on its day, and in my daily life. I hope you do, too. Let’s dive into five things you can do to celebrate Earth on Earth Day, April 22!
1. Go on a picnic
Weather permitting, spring is a wonderful time for a picnic (if your allergies aren’t too bad). Pack your favorite sandwich, some chips, fruits, sweets and drinks and find a nice place to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s on a blanket down by the Arkansas River or a picnic bench at your favorite park, take your meal outside and enjoy the sun hugging you.
2. Go for a walk/hike
In The Natural State, there is tons of natural beauty. Lace up your tennis shoes, or hiking boots (whatever floats your boat) and explore everything Arkansas has to offer. Even better, visit one of the state’s 52 national parks! You can find one that’s nearby here.
3. Participate in a local cleanup
We live in a world that generates tons of trash and a lot of the time, it doesn’t end up in trash cans. It ends up being litter on our trails, in our creeks and rivers, etc. It damages the growth of everything around it, from plants to animals to microorganisms. To help our Earth heal, participate in a local cleanup of a trail, river, etc. in your local area. The Earth will not only thank you for it, but it will thrive from it. To find local cleanup events, visit your town’s website or check out the “Keep Arkansas Beautiful” page here.
4. Plant something
One of the best ways to celebrate the Earth is to give back to it, and planting something is a great way to give back. Whether it’s a fruit or vegetable plant, a tree or some wildflowers, planting something can be beneficial in any capacity. It not only helps the soil, but it will grow into something that will give life to other plants and nearby animals.
5. Attend an Earth Day event
Like the parade at my elementary school, there are plenty of events around the state celebrating Earth Day. From more cleanups to parades, there’s plenty to go around. From a celebration at the Little Rock Zoo to a festival in Van Buren, a quick Google search of “Earth Day events near me” should lead you on the right track to celebrating the Earth with your community.
HABITS TO HELP THE EARTH
While celebrating the Earth on Earth Day is great, an initiative to create habits that always help the Earth is an even grander thank you to our wonderful planet. Let’s look into five habits that you can incorporate into your daily life to always help and celebrate the Earth.
1. Shop local businesses
Arkansas is a hub of local shops. Local shops also tend to be royalty in sustainability. Businesses that have a focus on sustainability tend to limit their environmental impact and reduce their waste. They avoid mass-producing products that could eventually be thrown away due to low sales. Shopping at local businesses not only helps the Earth but also your local community. A quick search on Yelp for “local businesses near me” can aid you in choosing your place to shop.
2. Reduce water and electricity use
The main resources we use from the Earth are water and energy. Using these resources in excess can put stress on their demand, produce more pollution, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. To do your part in helping the Earth, start small by taking shorter showers, using natural light in your home or energy-efficient lightbulbs, and overall keeping an eye on excess water and energy usage.
3. Installing birdfeeders
Birds are constantly searching for their next meal, especially in harsh weather. Installing a simple bird feeder outside of your home can not only be entertainment for you and your cat, but it can also help your local birds survive. Their survival helps support the natural ecosystem, as birds are essential for seed dispersion, pollination and natural pest control.
4. Recycle
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is the first lesson in “Helping the Earth 101.” When I was a kid, and even now, my mom has a bin in our pantry for recycling. We throw the recyclable items in the bin, and she takes them out to the recycling container by our trash can. It’s that easy! You can find a list of recyclable items here. If you don’t have a recycling bin provided by the city, here is where you can find a local recycling center near you.
5. Start composting
It’s easy to throw your food in the trash or shove it down the garbage disposal and forget about it. However, you’re doing a great disservice to the Earth in doing so. If you have the space, making a small composting spot will help reduce the waste sent to landfills, reduce greenhouse gases, and give the soil nutrients, improving the ecosystem in your community. Here is where you can get started on composting.
NEXT STEPS
Implementing these practices into your daily life will not only make you feel good, but the Earth will thank you for your efforts. We only get one Earth, and it is up to us to care for it in any way we can. To learn more about Earth Day and what you can do to celebrate, visit the official Earth Day website here!