Today is Johnny Appleseed Day!

According to Wise Herb’s Random Jottings, Johnny Appleseed was born John Chapman in 1774. He was known for traveling around the Midwest and introducing apple trees to the area, all while spreading a message of conservation, generosity and keeping life simple.

Many of us grew up hearing stories about Johnny Appleseed and watching the Disney cartoon about him (I think the song from that cartoon is still stuck in my head, in fact). The character with the pot on his head seemed far-fetched, but in truth, Johnny Appleseed did walk around the countryside, barefoot in the summer, doing his pioneer work as a missionary and as one of the first real “tree huggers.” He had no home of his own but spent most of his time in Ohio, making other people’s lives better. He planted tree nurseries and left them in the care of neighbors who helped to sell the trees for trade or credit. Johnny didn’t press for payment if someone was unable to pay for a tree. He also did what he could to help those in need, such as injured animals. According to I Organize You, Johnny Appleseed gave away clothes, horses, trees and even land, acting as a “roving philanthropist” who challenged others to be kind and generous to people, animals and the earth.

In the spirit of Johnny Appleseed Day, The Privacy Council invites you to save trees by reducing your junk mail! Each year, 100 million trees are cut down to produce the junk mail that’s received here in the U.S. Signing up for The Privacy Council’s list removal service means you’re doing your part to save trees and reduce the pileup of trash in landfills. You’ll get less junk mail, more trees will be saved, and Johnny Appleseed himself would approve. Sign up today by clicking here!