15 Best Ways to Honor Earth Day 2019 in Las Vegas

Don’t like the neighborhood you live in?

No problem. Worst comes to worst, you can always move…

But no matter where you live, you’ll still be on planet Earth.

And until we’ve figured out how to colonize Mars or invent lightspeed travel so that we can set up shop on one of those “Goldilocks” planets we keep hearing about on the news…

…this here earth is the only home we’ve got.

So let’s treat her right!

April 22 is Earth Day

It’s the day that we’re meant to honor our planet and reflect on the many different ways we can protect our environment.

We’ve come up with the 15 best ways to honor Earth Day 2019 here in Las Vegas.

Some of these you can do no matter what day it is. Others are Earth Day-specific.

Let’s get started!

1. Don’t Use Your Car

Just for one day.

“But what about work?”

“What about that really important thing I was supposed to go to?”

“What about this, and this and that?”

We get it.

For some of you, the idea of not using your car for one day seems like cruel and unusual punishment.

But it’s just one day.

Here’s some perspective:

The city of Paris held a car-free day back in 2015. People still got around using bicycles, skateboards, and their own two feet.

The result? The group AirParif noted that the city reduced its smog level by nearly 50%!

It might be a while before Vegas does something like that.

A long, LONG while.

But you can still do your small part by not using your car for one day.

Instead, you can

• Use a rideshare service
• Ride a bike
• Use public transportation
• Walk

Just try it. As an experiment. See what happens.

Who knows? You might even enjoy it!

2. Don’t Eat Meat

Again: just for one day!

Why? Because scientists are arguing that a vegetarian/vegan diet may be healthier for the planet.

So if you really want to show Mother Earth some love, put the sausages and double-bacon cheeseburgers on pause for one day.

Experiment with life as a vegetarian; see how it treats ya!

If you need inspiration or tips, check out Meatless Mondays.

3. Reduce Your Tap Water Usage

Water conservation is a big deal in Las Vegas for obvious reasons.

But there are little things you can do each day to help conserve one of our most precious natural resources.

If you have sprinklers, run them between midnight and sunrise to help reduce water evaporation. This should be done during the months of May through October.

You can find other sprinkler tips here.

Also, be mindful of your water usage inside your home.

For example, don’t leave the faucet running unless you’re using the water.

If you wet your hands so that you can get them nice and soapy, be sure to turn the water off while you’re applying the soap. Then turn the water back on when you’re ready to rinse.

Yes, it’s an extra step, but that extra step can prevent a lot of waste over time!

4. Go For a Hike at Red Rock Canyon

Okay, we’ve listed enough things to cut back on.

Now let’s focus on the things you can enjoy.

(Earth is meant to be enjoyed, after all!)

Red Rock Canyon has got mountains, trees, wildlife, and 26 nature trails that you can explore until your heart’s content.

For you truly adventurous types, you can also go rock climbing and paragliding.

5. Visit the Springs Preserve

The Springs Preserve has an award-winning botanical garden that contains thousands of Mojave Desert and desert-adapted plants.

You can also walk, bike, or take a train ride down a series of trails in order to check out native habitats and archaeological sites.

The Springs Preserve is also the home of the Nevada State Museum.

Which is ALSO the home of the Nevada state fossil (yes, there is such a thing!): the Ichthyosaur Shonisaurus popularis.

Few things are more sobering than looking at the fossil of an extinct species.

Who knows? That could be us one day!

All the more reason to take care of our planet, right?

Not just for our sake, but for future generations.

6. Volunteer at Vegas Roots Community Garden

Vegas Roots is a non-profit organization and community garden operating on four acres of property in downtown Las Vegas.

First started in 2010, it still remains Vegas’s first and only urban farm.

And they could use some volunteers.

Come down to the garden for a walkthrough visit, and then check out the times that you can volunteer.

You can also sign up for their Adopt a Plot program, where you get an assigned plot and can grow your own vegetables.

Don’t have a green thumb? Not to worry. You can also buy vegetables directly from the garden.

7. Recycle Your Essence Bags

You know the custom-made Essence shopping bags that you get from us when you purchase a product?

You can re-use them! Just bring one with you next time you come in for your visit, and we’ll use that instead.

If you’re a frequent customer and have a bunch of bags saved up at home, give some away to your friends. That way, you’ll be sharing the wealth and helping us reduce waste. Teamwork!

8. Try a GLP Product

Have you heard of Green Life Productions?

They’re one of our cultivators, and they’ve made a name for themselves by growing 100% organic cannabis flower.

On top of that, they have a recycling program. Bring seven empty GLP containers to our dispensary, and you’ll get a free GLP pre-roll, shirt, or hat!

9. Plant a Bee Garden

There’s no easy way to say it: our bees are disappearing – a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder.

This is a huge problem for the planet.

And not just because bees are cool to look at and we’ll miss having them around. Nor because it’ll suck not having honey as an alternative to sugar.

Bees are pollinators. They help to transfer pollen from one flower to another. This simple act fertilizes plants so that they can reproduce by growing fruits and seeds.

Which means food for us.

Pollinators are responsible for 30% of the world’s crops and 90% of our wild plants.

Examples of crops that are dependent on bees include apples, peaches, apricots, cherries, grapes, tomatoes, almonds, mustard, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage…the list is long.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, four main reasons for the loss of bees are climate change, pesticide use on farms, habitat loss, and parasites.

Now for the good news: there is something you can do to help alleviate the habitat loss problem.

Plant a bee garden.

No, that doesn’t mean you grow your own bees.

It means creating a garden that’s bee-friendly.

For example, if you have a lawn, you can replace part or all of it with flowering plants. This will provide food and habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

10. Plan a Camping Trip

When you live in a city, it’s easy to forget how much we depend on the earth for our basic survival needs: oxygen, water, food, shelter, not to mention beautiful scenery to look at.

Camping helps us to get back in touch with our earliest roots as human beings. It reminds us that everything we’ve built rests on the bedrock of nature.

Remembering this fact also helps us remember to take better care of nature.

So whether you go to Red Rock, Mt. Charleston, Lake Tahoe or even your own backyard, it doesn’t matter.

Just try to get out of your normal setting and spend a night in nature.

11. Watch Our Planet On Netflix

If you don’t have the time, resources, or inclination to go camping, there’s always the next best thing: watch nature documentaries!

There’s a new nature docu-series available to watch on Netflix called Our Planet. It was made by the creator of Planet Earth and Blue Planet.

Our Planet features amazing footage of some of Earth’s most beautiful environments and wildlife. It also discusses how climate change is affecting life on our planet.

Here’s the trailer:

12. Earth Day at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum

From 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on April 22, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum will be hosting a bunch of activities to celebrate Earth Day, including science exhibits run by Jenny Baliff, the “Science Mom.” Bring your kids!

13. 2019 Earth Day 5K & 10K Virtual Run Las Vegas

Virtual runs are pretty popular right now, and on Earth Day, you can participate in one yourself.

The cost is $20, and at least 15% of the entry fee will be donated to Wild Earth Allies, an organization devoted to protecting wildlife and habitats.

Where is this race held? Anywhere you want. That’s what makes it a virtual race!

You can run or walk in a park, the streets, your local track field, or even the treadmill at your gym. Literally anywhere!

You do the race on your own, record your time, and then submit it to the race organizers to get your Earth Day medal!

14. UNLV Earth Day Fair

If you’re going to be on or near the UNLV campus, be sure to swing by the Earth Day Fair.

Starting at 10:00 am on April 22, the UNLV Student Sustainability Council will be hosting a series of events such as yoga on the lawn, a drum circle, an art gallery viewing, and free food!

The fair is free and open to the public.

15. Use Cannabis to Help You Become More Earth Conscious

Cannabis is many things to many people.

But most of us can agree that cannabis has a way of stimulating the mind and forcing us to think outside of the box.

And under the right circumstances, cannabis can help us come to new insights about ourselves and even help us foster new changes and habits in our lives.

So smoke a bowl or eat an edible, find a spot out in nature, and just sit and observe. Take in the sights, sounds, and smells. Try to remember that nature isn’t something that’s separate from you.

We all come from the Earth. We’re part of it, and it’s a part of us. The better we know and understand the earth, the better we know and understand ourselves.

And if you need to stock up on cannabis…

Essence is Still Offering Special Deals Every Single Day For the Remainder of April!

Come visit us at any of our three locations – Las Vegas Strip, Tropicana West, Henderson – and take advantage of our specials!

Happy Earth Day!