Ben is standing beside his friend, outside a cafe, talking about that day and every other day before and after. Ben sees a stranger flick a matchstick, which grazes his friend’s shirt, slowly but surely.

Ben screams comically “Dude, your arm’s going to catch on fire.” At an angle the friend can’t see, it’s not quite hot enough for him to have felt it yet, as the fire rips through his shirt, he says “Umm, Ben.. what did you drink at the cafe?”

We’ve all been Ben – with our friends and families and it probably wasn’t a shirt on fire. Maybe it was a habit that you’re trying to rid them off, or a quality you’re begging them to change. You’re met with rolling eyes and the lingering look that clearly reads ‘Can you relax please?‘ Suddenly, you question – were you being too preachy? [Parents, you know what I’m talking about]

If you  think of that, you might be able to relate to the hemp-bag carrying hippies, tree-huggers & rioting environmentalists. They’re not screaming about nothing: your arm really is on fire. Of course, the arm in this case, is the planet, our one and only home. Trees are being shredded, air and water polluted, and our collective carbon footprint? Oh, boy.

From worshipping trees to ruthless exploitation to a slowly growing ecological conscientiousness, humanity still has a long way to go.

So, on the auspicious occasion of Earth Day 2015, be grateful for what you shrug off and take for granted every other day, serving as a reminder of that arm on fire [and spend the year putting it out]. Here are a few slightly old-school ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day :

1. Make it a crafty night

Dig up your closet and find new ways to wear old favorite outfits. Design new clothes from old – cut, alter and sew a new wardrobe with friend.

2. Go camping in the desert

Spending some time under the stars with your feet buried in sand. Build a blanket tent from scratch, carry some tea and talk. It can be a surprisingly intimate experience. Feel closer to friends, family members and the land.

3. Talk to the kids.. about the men who planted trees & more

Telling tales of the native tribes that treated nature with respect and care can really with with children. On that note, working in eco-friendly habits in your home will have them grow up to be ecologically conscious themselves.

4. Play scrabble in the dark

Light the room with a candle or two and spend some time away from gadgets, playing board games with close ones. In addition to learning how to go green, they’ll learn how to have fun without tech.

5. Built a fort of plastic

It’s a fun and eye-opening challenge. Have family or friends hunt and gather all items that are made of plastic in the house and build a fort in the living room. It will make you aware of the amount of non-renewable waste you generate.

Happy Earth Day, roomies!

How did you spend Earth Day? Do you know of any cool organizations that work with conservation? Tell us all about it in the comments below.