Today we celebrate Earth Day. And for me, honoring the planet means getting outside—running on a trail, enjoying dinner in the backyard, working with my kids in the garden. Being in green space is good for the soul. Never are we more connected to Earth than when we’re outside.

My 10-year old son planted his first garden last year. He chose the vegetables, learned how to take care of them and nurtured them to life, and in that found a connectedness to nature. Every morning last summer he was up early to tend to his small crop, and when it came time to harvest he shared his bounty with our neighbors.

One of the best parts of designing green spaces for others is the small role we play in planting new life in the ground. Not just creating new functional areas for living outside (we love that, too!), but helping you choose new life that connects you to Earth, provides food and habitat for birds, bees and butterflies.

Our mission at Yardzen starts with supporting and growing the American Rewilding Project, our effort to help people make good decisions for the small patches of Earth they control. We’re just getting started, but we’re passionate about the impact we can make when we all do a little.

This Earth Day, I hope you all can get outside and feel connected to the planet, however that looks for you.