Earth Day: Walk, Wonder, and Weave Herbs into Your World

This Earth Day let’s return to the roots of this 55-year-old day of activism. It began as a grassroots movement to raise public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment, and the inextricable links between pollution and public health. Over the decades, these efforts have led to protective laws and policies and have changed much of our behavior—improving our environment and processes. But have we done enough? Learn more about its history and get inspired here: https://www.earthday.org/history

The 2025 Earth Day theme is "Our Power, Our Planet". This theme encourages people to unite behind renewable energy and push for a tripling of global renewable energy generation by 2030. Here at Mayway, we’re doing our part by regularly cleaning our 400 solar panels, which here in sunny Oakland allows us to put energy back into the grid for much of the year!

people looking at herbs in nature

To boost your health and the planet’s, walk! Stroll through your neighborhood and enjoy the beautiful spring growth. Many plants, just like people, are migrants from other countries. Originally introduced into the U.S. for their beauty, or hardiness, and/or utility, many of them come from a therapeutic tradition in their native country. Download a plant identification app onto your phone and have fun! Depending upon where you live, here are some Chinese herbs you will find—many of which you can grow, forage, and process yourself:

Shan yao 山药--root of Chinese Yam (Dioscorea opposita)

Brought from China to North America in the 1800s for ornamental, food, and medicinal uses, it's now found throughout the eastern and central US. 
Easy to grow at home in a container box, add a trellis for the vines. Harvest for soup and stir-fries!
TCM functions: Tonifies Spleen and Stomach; Tonifies Lung Qi and Lung Yin; Tonifies the Kidney and stabilizes and binds.

Dan Shen 丹参—root of Red Sage/Chinese Sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza)

Native to China and Japan, this hardy, pretty perennial can be found in front yards and often as border planting in parks. Plant your own and enjoy the lovely light purple to lavender blue flowers, then harvest some of the roots when needed!
TCM functions: Invigorates Blood, clears Blood stagnation, clears Heat.

Pi pa ye 枇杷叶—leaf of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Native to the cooler hill regions of south-central China, this large evergreen tree is grown commercially for its deliciously sweet fruit and found in many yards in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area and in other subtropical to mild temperate climates in the U.S. such as Hawaii, Texas, and Louisiana.
TCM functions: Transforms phlegm, clears Lung Heat, redirects Lung Qi downwards; Harmonizes the Stomach, clears Stomach Heat, redirects Stomach Qi downwards.

Bai shao 白芍—root of Chinese Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)

This plant with beautiful flowers is native to central and eastern Asia from eastern Tibet across northern China to easter Siberia, has been an ornamental as well as medicinal plant since at least the 7th century. It was brought to Europe in the mid-18th century and is the parent of most modern varieties. There are several hundred cultivars with a range of colors, sizes and forms and are the main source of peonies for the cut flower business.
Plant some yourself and be dazzled by their beauty and know that you have an important herb at your disposal!
TCM functions: Nourishes Blood and regulates the menses; Calms Liver Yang, soothes the Liver; Tonifies Yin.

Lu lu tong 路路通—fruit of Sweetgum (Liquidambar formosana)

There are 15 species of Sweetgum, with different species native to southeast and east Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and North America. In Chinese medicine, the Formosana species is used for Lu lu tong, so if you see them in your neighborhood, it is unlikely that they are appropriate for medicinal use. The spiky fruit balls are great for filling out potpourri and decorative uses though!
TCM functions: Moves Qi and Blood, opens the Middle Burner, unblocks the Channels; Promotes urination.

Nu zhen zi 女贞子--seed of Glossy Privet (Ligustrum lucidum)

This evergreen with glossy, dark green leaves is native to southern China but has now been naturalized in California, Arizona, Maryland, and the southeast from Texas to North Carolina.
If foraging, be extremely careful not to confuse with Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense), whose berries are toxic.
TCM functions: Tonifies Liver and Kidney due to Yin Deficiency

Chun gen pi 椿根皮--rootbark of Chinese Sumac/Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

Native to northeast and central China and Taiwan, it was introduced to North America in the late 1700s as a horticultural specimen and shade tree. Its ease of establishment, rapid growth and absence of insect or disease problems made it popular when planning urban landscaping. However, it has become invasive and is potentially harmful to native ecosystems. You can help by pulling out seedlings before the taproots are settled.
Wash and peel the roots, dry out the rootbark, and voila! You’re not just an herbalist, you’re a naturalist!
TCM functions: Clears Heat, dries Dampness, binds up the Intestines; expels parasites.

Ge gen 葛根—root of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata）

Native to southern China, in the 1930s millions of Kudzu seedlings were planted to combat soil erosion in the southern U.S. including dust storms in the prairies and as ground cover next to railroad tracks and highways. Now considered a noxious weed and infamous, it’s been found in the Midwest, southeast, northeast, and even Oregon. If you are fortunate/unfortunate to live in an area with Kudzu, consider restricting its spread by allowing your goat friends to graze on it, or enjoy it yourself! Kudzu leaves, stem tips, flowers, and roots of course, are edible and can be added to soups and stir-fries. Roots can also be peeled and baked like other root vegetables.
TCM functions: Releases the muscles and clears Heat; Nourishes the fluids and alleviates thirst.

There are many, many more examples of herbal plants in our midst, but you don’t need a green thumb to be an herbalist! Here are some food parts (mostly fruits) that are commonly discarded that can be turned into healing herbs rather than compost:

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) peel, pith, and pits

Peel: Chen pi 陈皮

TCM: Regulates Qi, Improves Transportive Function of Spleen, Relieves Diaphragm. Dries Damp and Transforms Phlegm. Helps prevent Qi Stagnation.
How-to: see Dr. Skye’s Sturgeon’s article on his homemade Chen pi.

Veins: Ju luo 橘络

TCM: Opens the channels and collaterals, regulates qi and dissolves phlegm.
How-to: carefully remove the delicate white veins from the underside of the peel and on the fruit wedges. Sun dry indoors and store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Pits: Ju he 橘核

TCM: Regulates Qi, Dispels Cold, Smooths Liver and Stomach Qi Stagnation in chest.
How-to: remove pits, rinse, and dry indoors. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Mango pit/Mang guo he 芒果核

TCM: Relieves occasional cough, promotes digestion
How-to: remove all fleshy bits, rinse, dry in sun or in oven on low temperature until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Watermelon rind/ Xi gua pi 西瓜皮

TCM: clears summer-heat, relieves thirst and promotes urination
How to: remove the green rind and red flesh, leaving only the white part. Cut into thin slices. Dry in the sun or in an oven on low temperature until dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Persimmon calyx (tops) /Shi di 柿蒂

TCM: Directs Qi downward and stops hiccups.
How to: carefully separate the green, leafy “cap” from the fruit, scrape away any attached flesh or peel. Dry in the sun or on the counter until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Longan pit/ Long yan he 龙眼核

TCM: regulates the flow of Qi, eliminates Dampness.
How to: separate fruit from pit, rinse. Dry in the sun, on the counter, or in a low temperature oven until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Lychee seed/ Li zhi he 荔枝核

TCM: regulates Cold and stagnation and enhances the functions of the Liver and Stomach channels. 
How to: separate fruit from pit, rinse. Dry in the sun, on the counter, or in a low temperature oven until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Apricot kernel/ Xing ren 杏仁

TCM: relieves occasional cough, transforms phlegm, and moistens the intestines. 
How to: separate flesh from pit and remove kernel from pit with a nutcracker. Dry in the sun or in an oven at a low temperature until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Peach kernel/ Tao ren 桃仁

TCM: promotes blood circulation, removes Blood stasis, moistens the intestines, and relieves constipation
How to: separate flesh from pit and remove kernel from pit with a nutcracker. Dry in the sun or in an oven at a low temperature until completely dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

Ginger peel /Sheng jiang pi 生姜皮

TCM: Harmonizes the Middle Jiao, dispels water and reduces fluid accumulation.
How to: scrape peel off with a spoon, and sun or air dry. Store in a lidded glass jar in a cool, dry place.

No matter how you're celebrating Earth Day today, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and abundance of nature—and to remember that it's a precious, finite gift.

Everyday choices—what we use, how we consume, and the habits we form—can either help or harm the world we all share. Even small decisions matter, from conserving energy to rethinking the convenience items we reach for without a second thought.

While volunteering or donating are wonderful ways to give back, it’s our daily actions that truly shape a more sustainable, thriving future. Together, through mindful living, we can make a lasting difference for the planet and for generations to come.

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