Green Daily

(Photo by maalivahti on flickr)

Okay, ecophiles, I know you're gearing up for Earth Day this Wednesday, and rightfully so -- it's an awesome holiday. However, in all of the Earth Day hubbub (bike to work! eat locally! turn off extra lights!), something really important often gets overlooked -- Arbor Day, which falls on Friday of this week.

While Earth Day is relatively new (the first official Earth Day took place in 1970), Arbor Day has been around forever, and therefore, might seem a little less exciting. But if you ask me, the huge amount of history behind the holiday is a big part of its appeal.

The first Arbor Day took place in 1872, in Nebraska City, and it's estimated that more than a million trees were planted on that day. And hey, if they could plant a million trees more than 135 years ago, don't you think we can do a heck of a lot better now?

The Arbor Day Foundation has links to all kinds of Arbor Day events -- just click on your state to see if any tree-planting organizations are sponsoring some nice, dirty fun in your neck of the woods. However, even if your community doesn't have anything planned, you can still celebrate. Plant a tree on your own (find out what kind to plant here), give a tree to someone you love, or organize your own volunteer tree planting event!

Arbor Day and Earth Day really go hand in hand, so use this week to show your appreciation for whatever kinds of trees you have in your neighborhood, even if you can't get around to it until the weekend. Hey, as long as you take action at some point, it really is the thought that counts!