Earth Day is today, the annual celebration of this big blue and green ball on which we live and a reminder that she needs taken care of. There will be several big events scheduled around the country, and some nice-sized ones around the Ohio Valley to commemorate the day and make a significant impact on environmental awareness.

Yet celebrating Earth Day doesn’t have to come with grand gestures or major events. We all can do our part in little ways this day and every day to ensure the Earth stays strong for a long time to come.

For instance, if you’re leaving a room for a while, turn off the lights. If you’re leaving the house for a while, set the thermostat to a lower temperature when its cold, or a higher one when its warm. The less work your lights, your air conditioner and your furnace do during the day, the less fuel burned and the less impact there is on the environment.

And when you’re out for a walk and you see some trash on the ground, please pick it up and find the nearest trash can. Does it have the singular effect of a community-wide cleanup? No, but if everyone took a second on their travels to grab a couple of scraps, the combined effort is just as impactful.

Mother Earth is the only home we have. We have to make sure the generations to come can enjoy the same beauty and health that we do now. If everyone does their small part each day, it all makes a big difference.