8 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2021

Earth Day is held every year on April 22. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the environment we all live in, how it’s been changing, and what we can do to protect the planet for generations to come.

The theme for Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth^TM. That might sound like a massive undertaking. But there are easy ways every single person can get involved and make a difference. Earth Day is a great time to sit down as a family, or with your community and make a plan for ways you can help protect the earth and the priceless resources it provides us.

Here are 8 ideas to inspire you to make a difference and help Restore Our Earth.

1. Donate to Earth Day’s Canopy Project and plant a tree in memory of someone, or in your family’s name. For every $1 you donate, EarthDay.org can plant one tree. Trees are planted on every continent except Antarctica.
2. Skip the meat and eat at least one plant-based meal each week. Compared to meat, plant foods have far less of an impact on the environment because they require fewer resources to grow, process, transport, and store. Curious about your family’s impact? Learn how the meals you eat affect the environment and find out how to shrink your “foodprint.” Need some plant-based meal inspiration? Try our recipe for Green Chile and Goat Cheese Quesadillas.
3. Join the Great Global Cleanup. Grab your friends or family, sign up, and help clean up. Join a group in a planned location or pick a favorite spot in your neighborhood that could use some love. If you’re a runner (or walker) try picking up a few pieces of trash during your workout.
4. Plant a garden. Growing your own vegetables and herbs is so rewarding. It’s also a great way to reduce your environmental footprint. If you have picky eaters at home, encourage them to plant a new vegetable and tend to it until it’s ready to harvest — it might provide the excitement and motivation to try something new! Make sure you support our pollinators by planting some bee-friendly plants too.
5. Learn how to compost. Compost is made from fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, grass and garden clippings, and even old newspaper. It’s a perfect way to turn your trash into the best fertilizer ever for your garden.
6. Challenge yourself to leave the car at home at least one day each month (or as often as you can). Instead of driving, use your feet, public transportation, or a bike to get around. You’ll save gas, reduce pollution, and get some exercise at the same time.
7. Brush up on your recycling knowledge. Many people are surprised at what can and can’t be recycled. Things like milk jugs, glass jars, and yogurt tubs should be rinsed out before they’re tossed in the recycling bin. Check your town or recycling service’s website and read up on the recycling rules so your efforts make a difference.
8. Each year, more than 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans. That plastic never decomposes. Instead, it finds its way into nearly everything that lives in the ocean. Learn more about why it’s so important to keep plastic out of the ocean. When you visit the beach, make a commitment to take any plastic containers or wrapping home with you and recycle them instead. And pick up anything that others may have left behind too. The world’s oceans will be better because of you.

We’re doing our part for Earth Day (and every day) too. Rubio’s has, and always will be committed to the health of our waterways, ocean, and planet. From our sustainable seafood, to our packaging and recycling programs, here are a few of the ways we’re doing our part:

• We choose responsibly sourced seafood whenever possible to help preserve ocean species and ensure a healthy ocean for future generations.
• In our restaurants, we use energy-efficient lights, tankless water heaters, and recycled materials wherever possible.
• In our restaurants, we serve meals on dishware instead of paper to reduce landfill waste.
• Our to-go containers are made of biodegradable and compostable materials instead of Styrofoam.
• We provide reusable catering bags.
• We recycle about 86,000 gallons of oil each year — enough to fill five average sized swimming pools each year.

There’s no better time than now for everyone to pitch in and make the Earth a better place to live.

Happy Earth Day!