It seems almost a primal impulse to want to celebrate spring and all the new beginnings that emerge this time of year. It’s a collective rebirth of sorts, felt within as well as without. But why not make it truly a rebirth for all, applying the spirit of regeneration to all animals—not just humans? Not to mention a little consideration for our great mother: earth herself.
Easter provides a great opportunity to swap out old traditions with kinder, eco-friendlier ones that honor the season in deeds as well as words. Let’s honor the generosity of the earth by participating in festivities that can proudly boast “no animals were harmed” and our carbon footprint was kept to a minimum.
Dyeing eggs
Even though dyeing eggs is fun, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. According to PETA, the egg industry is responsible for the suffering of more than 346 million chickens every year.
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A simple but equally fun alternative to egg decorating is painting wooden eggs or creating paper mache ones—either kind comes the added bonus of letting you enjoy the artwork year-round.
Gifting baby chicks
Gifting children with baby chicks or bunnies is unfair to the animals in question. Many states even allow the dreadful practice of dyeing little chicks and bunnies to make them more appealing to young children—although about half the states and a scattering of municipalities have laws against this. The Humane Society of the United States says that every year, animal shelters receive a surge of unwanted Easter pets who are given up after the owners have lost interest or are unable to care for them. Many of these animals get euthanized due to lack of available homes. Does this gift send your child the right idea about animals? Unless you are ready to commit to that animal’s welfare throughout their life, you are sending the message that animals are expendable, non-worthy creatures.
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Visit an animal sanctuary, shelter, or farm. Especially on a farm, you can see a lot of adorable baby animals, including kids, calves and lambs.
Eating peeps
Marshmallow peeps have become synonymous with Easter. Cuteness factor aside, peeps are not vegetarian friendly, because they contain gelatin, which is made by boiling cow or pig’s skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. Eek!
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Although you can mail order vegan peeps, the most economical option is to make your own. Search for recipes online. You could also munch on vegan marshmallows as an alternative.
Decorating Easter baskets with fake grass
Cellophane Easter grass, festive or no, cannot be recycled. Is the fake grass’s brief lifecycle really worth what it does to our landfill? If you need more incentive to do without it, think of the grass as little tufts of petroleum.
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If you already have Easter grass, reuse it. If not, try replacing it with shredded newspaper or tissue paper. You can even find sugar-free edible Easter grass in some stores.
Serving Easter dinner
Fuggedabout the ham, lamb, and other animal sacrifices that symbolize Easter. Make this a meal that pays homage to earth’s fertility, not our own penchant for killing animals.
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The early spring holiday offers the ideal occasion for celebrating in royal vegetarian style. Who needs meat when you have baby greens, fresh asparagus, peas, leeks and fava beans?
Dressing up
I personally love bringing in spring with a wardrobe change. But that doesn’t mean I need to fork out a lot of money to buy new clothes for my children, clothes that in their case will be quickly outgrown.
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I love discovering treasures at local thrift shops. A modern update is online sites that sell used clothing. Thredup.com, for example, sells brand name clothing in great condition at a fraction of the price.
Go green, go humane, and go simple—and you’ll have a rite of spring that rings out the message of joy and exuberance for all with nary a false note.