We walk on it, we eat food from it, we drink the water from it… isn’t it strange that only one day a year is specifically dedicated to the Earth? Here at Thirst Project we make it our duty year-round to help sustain our planet’s resources and bring clean water to those who still don’t have it. Even if you’re just jumping on board, though, there are some easy ways to celebrate the Earth today and every day.

Plant something! It might not seem like the most original thing, but planting a tree, a bush or even a single flower pot can be a fun thing to do. If you don’t have anywhere to plant outside, try the DIY route. The example below turns a recycled coffee container and 2-liter bottle into a planter for flowers or even herbs for the kitchen.

Flip a light switch. Remembering to turn off the lights and television before leaving the house or when exiting a room can really make an impact. Also, anything that’s plugged in is using energy, even if it’s not being used. So if you aren’t charging your cell phone or if you rarely use the toaster, go ahead and pull the plug!

For Earth Hour 2012 on March 31st, the world was asked to turn off their lights for just an hour. Even the Great Wall of China went dark for a full 60 minutes. (Lintao Zhang/Getty)

Duh: Recycle! It’s so much more than bringing bottles and cans to the grocery store. Try one of the following:

• Recycle or donate clothes, slightly used towels and bedding, and toys or games to charity.
• Join Freecycle, where you can give away and get things like electronics and bikes for free in your area.
• Recharge batteries or properly recycle them but don’t throw them in the garbage!
• Staples will collect and recycle all electronics, including computers, phones, MP3 players and GPS devices.

This is a landfill in Serbia, but there are many in the US that look just like it. Recycling, composting and reusing could significantly diminish this kind of thing. (Darko Vojinovic/AP)

Buy local. If you can’t afford to buy locally or organically full time, treat yourself for Earth Day. If you can, make it a habit once a week to prepare a homemade meal consisting of local and organic products.

Glaciers and beautiful ice caves such as this one are slowly beginning to melt due to global warming. (Jamie Scarrow)

Switch out your wheels. Every time you carpool, take the bus, hop on a bike or take the time to walk, it helps keep our planet green. Google Maps has a new bike trail map that can provide short cuts, if you bike to work, or scenic routes to enjoy the beauty of your local area.

Pollution is so bad in Bejing, China that the US Embassy pollution monitor registered a 403, considered "hazardous." Anything over 150 is unhealthy. (Ed Jones/Getty)

Get involved, for real. There are so many opportunities to be active in the environmental movement. Start an email listing or a website where your own friends and family can “freecycle” together. Join groups, at school or church, that work towards decreasing your community’s carbon footprint.

This happy looking clam from Oregon wants you to get involved to protect the environment! (Lucy Chien)

Go outside! There’s no better way to celebrate than to appreciate. Get out of the house, alone or with friends, and enjoy wherever it is you live. There are so many gorgeous things to see on the planet.

Why hang out in a dark dorm room when it's beautiful outside? (Dina Rudick, The Boston Globe.)

Save water. Buy a Brita filter, fix a leaky faucet, or turn off the shower while you shave your legs. However you do it, try to conserve water because it’s the most precious commodity on the planet, and everybody has a right to it.

Kids in Swaziland celebrate new wells that will bring clean water to their communities. After a well is put in, the rate of childhood disease drops swiftly and quickly. (Thirst Project.)

Donate. We’ve given you some easy and even fun things to do on Earth Day to celebrate the planet and help sustain it. But we understand that you can’t drop out of school and save the world on your own. That’s why charities like Thirst Project exist. For just $20, you can give someone in another country clean water for the rest of his or her life.