There are a 1001 post-ideas rattling around my brain, and one of these is a piece about the books which have influenced me throughout my life in general, but in my childhood particularly. One of these, I can already tell you, is 50 Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth.

 Since today, 22 April, is Earth Day, I decided to forgo the “influential book list” for the time being and give you 50 things you can to do save the Earth. Most of these items I actively apply to my own life, or am making a concerted effort to implement in my lifestyle. In the words of Jane Goodall: “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

1. Use energy-saving light bulbs.
2. Don’t throw away food.
3. Buy a bird feeder and give them fruit that is old or unused.
4. Plan your shopping so that you don’t buy too much food.
5. Avoid prepackaged food.
6. Eat less takeout.
7. Use old bananas to make smoothies.
8. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
9. Eat less meat.
10. Buy local food.
11. Grow your own food.
12. Learn more about the environment.
13. Place a bucket in your shower and use to the collected water in your garden.
14. Use a mug instead of a Styrofoam/plastic/paper cup.
15. Unplug unused appliances (including you cellphone charger).
16. Buy solar lights.
17. Don’t throw cigarettes out the car window.
18. Shop with reusable shopping bags.
19. If you do buy plastic packets, reuse them.
20. Buy secondhand books.
21. Get a Kindle.
22. Don’t kill bees.
23. Turn off lights you aren’t using.
24. Don’t turn on lights during the day.
25. Use an energy-efficient heater in winter.
26. Work from home.
27. Adopt pets from a shelter.
28. Shop at food markets.
29. Donate old clothes.
30. Carpool.
31. Use public transport when probable.
32. Cycle.
33. Walk.
34. Cancel your newspaper subscription and get the news online.
35. Fly less.
36. Stay in an eco-friendly hotel.
37. Eat SASSI-approved fish.
38. When you’re ordering takeout to eat at home, tell them to leave out the plastic cutlery, wooden chopsticks and paper serviettes.
39. Don’t feed feral cats.
40. Participate in a beach clean-up.
41. Wash your clothes with cold water.
42. Make sure your dishwasher is full before using it.
43. Air-dry your hair in summer.
44. Plant a tree.
45. Avoid using a tumble dryer, especially in summer.
46. Uproot plants or trees that aren’t indigenous.
47. Join an environmental group or wildlife organisation.
48. Never believe that you can’t make a difference.
49. Encourage children to care about the planet.
50. Share this list.