Celebrate Earth Day with SWANA Staff!

SWANA encourages you to celebrate Earth Day in your favorite way! Here is how the SWANA Staff spends their Earth Day.

Darryl Walter, Director of Membership

One of the advantages of working from home is that a few times a week, I can break away from my desk, and take a walk in the woods. We have trails rights across the street from our house which makes it very convenient to get a quick walk in.

Montgomery County, Maryland (where I live) established Montgomery Plogs. Plog or plogging means to pick up litter while you walk or jog. Even before the county created this program, I would come back with trash that I found during our walk.

Plog or plogging means to pick up litter while you walk or jog. Even before the county created this program, I would come back from our walks with trash that I found during our walk.

Enjoy Earth Day and remember to pick up litter while you walk or jog.

David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO

My wife and I are in the process of downsizing, which means getting rid of a lot of stuff that we’ve collected in our home over the past 23 years. Instead of just putting things in the trash, we are donating lots of clothing and household goods to Goodwill, giving away some things via local Facebook groups, and selling a couple of pieces of furniture. We are definitely diverting a lot of material away from disposal and are pleased that other people will be able to re-use these items.

Theresa Rademacher, Technical Divisions Manager

Americans waste approximately one pound of food per person per day. To reduce food waste at my house we treat vegetables as cut flowers. This keeps them for much longer than putting them in the refrigerator and reduces food waste. We also grow our own food during the summer to reduce our carbon footprint from shipping from farm to store. 

Estela Martinez, Manager of Membership and Chapter Services

For Earth Day, my neighbors on Gittings Street are going to participate in this neighborhood Clean Up to pick up trash, leaves, pull up weeds, etc. This is a neighborhood activity for all of South Baltimore and it includes a fun scavenger hunt to help kids appreciate and learn more about our environment. Before the Pandemic, a group of neighbors would meet every other Saturday and spend an hour cleaning up a block. The goal was an hour or 5 bags. We hope to start this tradition again this Summer. 

Sarah Beidleman, Marketing Coordinator

With so much extra time inside this past year, I have been going through my clothes and things that I don't want or use anymore. I try to donate all that I can and bring new life to other items that would otherwise be thrown away. Although, I'm not the best at sprucing up old clothes, I have tried some really fun DIY projects with scraps and old art projects that I never got around to doing. I've made a bottle cap crab on a square wood frame and a boho wall decor out of yarn and a piece of driftwood I saved. Next up, I'm going to tie dye some white t-shirts, socks, and masks to get ready for summer!

Meri Beth Wojtaszek, Deputy Executive Director

I enjoy participating in a community supported agriculture (CSA) group that provides locally grown, organic fruits and vegetable shares to its members.  The CSA provides an opportunity to support local farmers at the same time reduces the carbon footprint required for long distance shipping of produce. The local produce has been delicious stars in my recipes.

Andrea Lazo, Media Design Manager

I am planning on going for a run, getting breakfast at a local café, and visiting Columbia Association’s Chalk It Up to spread awareness for Earth Day. 

Want more easy tips to live sustainably? Download the Earth Day Media Kit here.