Whether you are as busy as a bee buzzing around or as chill as a wave in the ocean, everyone should go outside and hug a tree on April 22 as we celebrate our beautiful planet on Earth Day this year.

This annual celebration serves to inspire people to care for our planet and all that happens to it while taking time to reminisce about the positive strides that environmentalists have taken to protect all natural resources.

Many people have their fingers crossed that Erie is covered in sunshine on Earth Day, but even so they will find the time to scroll through their camera rolls to share incredible photos of the beautiful places they have traveled to.

In sharing their experiences and the beauty of our home it reminds us of all the wonderful places we have been to. The prettiest nature places I
have ever visited was Kauai, Hawaii, Sarasota, Florida and Schwangau, Germany.

Hawaii’s natural beauty took me away the first time I saw the ocean.

It was a deep blue color that complemented the sky on a clear sunny day. Although it was a surreal site on the surface, the life underneath was cooler than any of the natural views.

My family was lucky enough to go on a boat ride while we visited the island and at a few points along the ride our captain got over the loudspeaker to tell us to look near the side of our boat. Sure enough, we saw dolphins breaking through the water and swimming in their pods alongside the boat.

That scenery of the Pacific Ocean was truly the most beautiful of the places I have ever been because of its mystifying beauty and the curiosity of the creatures that live below the surface of the water.

Florida is a popular vacation spot so it gets a lot of attention from students during their spring breaks, and there is a reason for its reputation. Siesta Key, in Sarasota, is my favorite place to travel to in Florida because of its white sand beaches.

The white quartz sands are soft and create a beautiful bridge between the solid land and the ocean. The ocean
water is so refreshing in the summertime and with its aqua coloration it adds to this picture perfect atmosphere.

Another cool nature place I have visited was Schwangau, Germany, which is a village in southern Germany that houses the Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle is on top of a massive hill and surrounded by stunning natural wonders like trees and the Forggensee, Alpsee and Schwansee lakes.

The castle on its own is spectacular but when the colors on the leaves change to a deep red in autumn, it makes for an incredible sight to see. This mountainous terrain leads adventurers to breathtaking views such as being at the foot of a lake and looking across the other end at a mountain with its summit covered in snow.

These destinations display some of the beauty that our world has to offer. There is so much more to discover and appreciate. Observing Earth Dayisagreatwaytostartona journey to explore the wonders of the world.

As we celebrate Earth Day, it is important to remember that we only get one Earth, so we have to take care of it.

We are lucky enough to live on such a beautiful planet, it is a shame that more people are not as passionate or willing to do their part to keep it clean and healthy.

With all of its beauty, the Earth has given us so much and it is time we start pitching in to give back to it for ourselves and future generations.

Earth Day is a reminder to get out in nature and to take a journey into everything this planet has to offer. So many beautiful places are ours to explore, we truly live on a breathtaking planet.