Spring has sprung! Get outside and enjoy the warm weather

Fresh spring smells and excitement in the air

Fresh spring smells and excitement in the air — welcome to the season

With the warm weather finally here, come back to nature's office and get your spring on!

In between the holidays and the heat of summer is the most exciting time to be outside and enjoy spring for many reasons. If you want a fresh start with a new coat of paint and a whole new spring in your step, go for a nature walk and get your ‘outdoors’ on! The first day is going to be fun — you’ll leave the house with a bright outlook and new plans to get outside. Take a little bag with you to collect the random soda cans and water bottles you find, and leave the outdoors cleaner than you found it!

Keep the outdoors fresh and clean

Keep the outdoors fresh and clean for others. There’s evidence that outdoor exercise is good for your physical and mental health and the environment. If you exercise outdoors and stay safe, you are demonstrating care for your body and the local environment.

Replace newspapers and single-use tissues in your home with items made from recycled newsprint, bamboo, recycled plastic bottles or recycled paper. Or consider taking an environmental friendly or eco-friendly shower. We have so many opportunities to contribute to a cleaner and fresher outdoors, even when the spring showers keep us inside!

Picking up trash is easy and fun

Picking up trash on a walk is easy and fun. A lot of us have our own unique and interesting perspectives on how to spot litter. With a new perspective, it is easy to see what others have overlooked! Whether your focus is on animal waste or a simple leaf, you will have more ideas on what to pick up on each trail.  Go ahead, make a game out of it, and see who among your friends can collect the most!

The first part is the hard part, where you use your feet, hands, and a little luck to pick up everything you see. The second part is easy: you clean up or throw out what you don’t want. The third part is fun. You walk the trail or neighborhood with friends and contribute to a fresher and cleaner environment!