Celebrating Earth Day once a year is like giving your mother a thank you card on your birthday and letting her know that you really appreciate the 22 hours of labor she went through. I’m sure she knows, but a bit of gratitude doesn’t go unnoticed. So, yearly, on April 22, I ask my family what habits we can change to make sure we are helping to sustain a healthy planet.

This year EarthDay.org has chosen its theme to be “End Plastic Pollution.” Plastic is one element of my purchasing history that makes me the most frustrated. I can justify that I’m being earth friendly by bringing my own shopping bags, shopping locally, or recycling/reusing. None of that stops the production of plastic. Years ago, my daughter and I took a self-induced “plastic challenge.” We wanted to see what we had to do to change our shopping practices. Everywhere I turned, I felt I was just buying more plastic. Even her new ballet shoes came in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box.

The exercise did allow us to change some of our habits like opting for wax paper sandwich bags and using the Bee’s Wrap I bought from Nori’s Village Market for leftovers. It forced us to start asking for “no straw” when we were in a restaurant. It didn’t stop me from buying those pointe shoes or giving my children money to buy food when their team stopped to eat somewhere for an away game. This year the resolution is to continue to look for products not encased in plastic, but we also decided to look for ways to help make lasting change.

We will still spend Earth Day cleaning a favorite trailhead, because it needs to happen. I’m sure we will pull a variety of plastic to-go containers, jugs, and wrappers out of the woods. Our trailhead trip is always a stark reminder that plastic can be thrown away, but it never really goes away.

This year we will direct our focus toward companies using disposable plastic straws. Seeing an adorable sea turtle post that ends with a straw being pulled out of its nostril can alter the shopping habits of a teenage girl. We’ll do our best to continue to direct her energy in a positive way. (If anyone is interested in a fun craft, I’ve reposted the DIY paper/beeswax straw tutorial on AdirondackFamily.com)

I don’t feel like there are right or wrong ways to celebrate Earth Day and I’m not judging how other people live. My family is always a work in progress. We are just trying to help maintain a clean, healthy environment. To get in the Earth Day mood, stop by Saranac Village at Will Rogers for a Rustic Riders Earth Day musical extravaganza on April 21 at 7:30 p.m. ($5 suggested donation) as well as the Harrietstown Town Hall free April 22 (12:30 to 4:30 p.m.) with vendors, live music, activities, and environmental speakers.

.Diane Chase is the author of the “Adirondack Family Activities” guidebook series, “Adirondack Family Time: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities.” For more family-friendly activities go to www.adirondackfamilytime.com.