Posted on March 1, 2021 by Amy Marasco

By Amy Marasco, President, The Nature Generation

In the northern hemisphere, spring will arrive on Saturday, March 20. In our region, we will greet the spring equinox at 5:37 a.m. EDT. So, plan a celebration!

At the equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are almost equal. Throughout the year, our earth is tilted either away or toward the sun. Normally the earth’s axis is tilted at 23.5 degrees; on both the spring (or vernal) and the autumn equinoxes, it is perpendicular to the sun’s rays.

The name is from the Latin words, aequus, meaning equal and nox, meaning night; thus meaning “equal night.” For us in the northern hemisphere, this day heralds spring, and in the southern hemisphere, the day heralds autumn.

Many cultures use the equinox to celebrate. In Japan, for example, both equinoxes are national holidays and a time to remember and honor ancestors. Some cultures and countries, such as Iran, mark this time to celebrate the new year. Preparations include buying new clothes and thoroughly cleaning homes. An ancient Chinese tradition calls for balancing eggs, a symbol of fertility, thus encouraging good luck and prosperity.

While earlier peoples did not understand the equinox as we do today, they watched the sun, paid close attention to nature, and celebrated this time of year for the fact that their food supplies would once again be restored.

No matter…it is a time of renewal and rebirth and rejuvenation. Look all around you as flora and fauna wake up from their long winter naps. Nature has lots of clues for spring—earlier dawns and later sunsets are witnessed more easily now.

Notice that the arc of the sun is shifting northward. Butterflies and birds are migrating northward too, along with the path of the sun. Trees are budding and early wildflowers are peeking out. Get outdoors to enjoy the season and as a tonic to the isolation and separation the COVID 19 pandemic has layered upon all of us.

March comes “in like a lion and out like a lamb.” While the lion is still roaring and windy, chilly days persist, think of all the things you can do to start your spring renewal, including spring cleaning inside your home, garage, basement, barn, or office.

How about approaching spring cleaning in a manner that can be planet-friendly as you clean, scrub, and polish?

Bleach—it works, and that was the smell of ‘clean’ growing up—but we do not need more chlorine in our streams and rivers. What can we use that does the job but is safe on our skin and to breathe in, and easy to discard for the planet?

• Here are some things I use. I would love to hear more ideas from all of you too!
  
• Lemon Juice—Use on cutting boards, drains, disposals.
  
• Vinegar—Dilute with water for wood floors or highchairs.
  
• Borax and Vinegar—Add to laundry; use to clean sinks and toilets rather
  than powder cleansers.
  
• Pine fragrance (I know some of you love it)—Put a few drops of Tea Tree
  oil in warm water for use as an all-purpose cleaner.
  
• Castille Soap—Add to warm water or homemade cleansers and let the
  sparkle you want come out.
  
• Essential oils—Add to your homemade cleansers.

Oh, and do not forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Teach everyone in your family how to use a fire extinguisher and make sure everyone knows your home fire escape plans.

“Despite March’s windy reputation, winter isn’t really blown away: it is washed away. It flows down all the hills, goes swirling down the valleys and spills out to sea. Like so many of this earth’s elements, winter itself is soluble in water.” – Author Unknown

Start spring cleaning, celebrate on March 20, and try some safer cleaning methods this year. Remember, we “all live downstream.”