Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

I can hardly believe we are already at the end of March, and Easter is right around the corner!

With every holiday, it’s easy to get caught up in buying more food, gifts, and decorations. While celebrating is important, we can also make choices that help protect our environment. I recently read a great article titled “Ways to Celebrate Easter Sustainably,” by Joan Russell (March 30, 2024), which offered helpful reminders about reducing waste during the holiday season. The article highlights how many of the items we purchase for Easter, like plastic baskets, toys, eggs, and fillers, are often used briefly and then thrown away. These plastics can harm both our environment and our health.

Even candy, the centerpiece of many Easter baskets, is best enjoyed in moderation. The article also shared the history of the Easter Bunny tradition. It was brought to the United States by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. They introduced the story of the Osterhase, a bunny that would lay colored eggs in nests prepared by children.

Over time, this evolved into the modern Easter basket tradition, with families filling baskets with treats and gifts. Some children even leave out carrots the night before Easter to give the Easter Bunny energy for its big night!

Eggs have long symbolized new life and spring, dating back to ancient traditions. Decorating eggs dates back to the 13th century, and after Lent, families would decorate and eat eggs to celebrate the season.

Easter egg hunts later became a popular activity hosted by families, churches, and community groups.

Today, Easter is one of the largest holidays for candy sales, second only to Halloween. Popular treats include chocolate eggs and bunnies, jelly beans, and marshmallow chicks like Peeps. While fun and festive, these items often come with excess packaging and waste.

At Keep Liberty Beautiful, we believe every small choice matters. This Easter, choosing to reduce waste and celebrate sustainably is a simple way we can all protect the place we call home.”

This year, consider more sustainable options, especially when decorating eggs. Using natural, non-toxic dyes is a healthier and more eco-friendly alternative. You can create beautiful colors using common household ingredients: Natural dye ideas:

• Frozen blueberries –blue

• Chili powder – light orange

• Turmeric – bright yellow

• Red onion skins – brown or green

• Spinach leaves – green To make natural dyes, boil the ingredients in water to extract the color, then strain the liquid into a container for dyeing.

For spices, mix about one teaspoon with warm water. Hard-boil eggs for about 12 minutes before coloring, and use white eggs for best results.

You can also reduce waste by making fewer eggs, so one per person is a great guideline, and using them later in salads or sandwiches.

Here are a few more simple ways to celebrate an eco-friendly Easter:

• Choose products with minimal or no packaging

• Support local businesses and sustainable producers

• Skip plastic grass and use shredded paper or natural materials like moss

• Use rechargeable batteries for decorations

• Donate unused items instead of throwing them away Small changes can make a big difference.

By being mindful of our choices, we can celebrate Easter in a way that is both joyful and environmentally responsible.

As you plan your spring activities, look forward to the Keep Liberty Beautiful Earth Day Celebration on April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bryant Commons, and feel excited to make a difference together.

The Greatest American Cleanup is also underway across Liberty County.

Each city and the county communities will host cleanup events to help remove litter before it reaches our waterways.

Volunteers can register for this and other cleanup events by visiting www. keeplibertybeautiful.org.

Keep Liberty Beautiful provides supplies such as garbage bags, safety vests, gloves, litter reachers, and water. All registered volunteers also receive a KLB T-shirt.

For more information, call (912) 880-4888 or email klcb@libertycountyga. gov. Let’s work together to keep Liberty County clean and beautiful this Easter and beyond. Join local cleanup events and make a difference in our community’s environment.