Patch Picks: Five Ways to Go Green in Hudson for Earth Day, Arbor Day

Earth Day is April 22 and Arbor Day is April 29. With so much sustainable celebrating going on, don't forget to do your part for the planet. Here are five ways to mark these holidays and do some good in the Hudson community at the same time:

Plant Some Shade

The city of Hudson is officially a "Tree City USA." Designated by the National Arbor Day Foundation, . Activities are planned that day from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at , with a special tree planting ceremony at 10 a.m. Participants are asked to bring garden gloves and a bucket. Even Smokey the Bear plans to make an appearance.

Hold a Recycling Drive

If you  have items to discard in your garage, it's a safe bet your  neighbors do too. Band together to make only one trip to your nearest recycling center—view a list of area centers at the St. Croix County recycling Web page. Recycling isn't just for plastics and metal. Electronics can be recycled with eCycling St. Croix County, including computers, printers, copiers, televisions and microwaves. You can even give expired or unused medication a proper disposal at no cost and save them from being introduced into the environment. The accepts unwanted medications Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the North Hudson Police Department accepts them Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit Camp St. Croix's Earth Day Celebration

The is set to commemorate Earth Day from noon to 4 p.m. on May 1. Booths by local groups and businesses with an environmental focus will be available to peruse, and free activities such as geocaching, hiking, making earth-friendly cleaners and family-friendly games are scheduled. Camp St. Croix also plans to "speak for the trees" with a live performance of Dr. Seuss' classic tale The Lorax at 1 and 2:30 p.m. 

Ride Your Bike

As much as the idea of sweating and straining to pedal up Coulee Road in a suit may be less than ideal, biking to work is a great eco-friendly mode of transportation. Instead of releasing fumes and consuming fossil fuels, you'll get a workout and save a few bucks. With the price of gas nearing $4 per gallon, can you afford not to cycle around Hudson?

Conserve Water

Start by purchasing a refillable water bottle. According to the The Center for a New American Dream, a person who drinks 16 ounces of tap water per day instead of 16 ounces of bottled water will save 114 gallons of water, 9 gallons of oil, 37 megajoules of energy and 62 pounds of carbon dioxide—all used in the production of bottled water. The City of Hudson Water Utility website has a plethora of other ways to save water in your home, including using low-sud detergents in the washing machine, adding a 2-inch layer of groundcover mulch to flower beds and adjusting sprinklers to make sure they water grassy areas only instead of pavement or concrete areas.