Earth Day
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, and is widely credited for launching the modern environmental movement. What started as a grassroots movement, Earth Day created public support for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and contributed to the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, and more. Now we celebrate on Earth Day on April 22nd each year to celebrate the environment and raise public awareness about pollution.
Earth Day allows us to reflect on how our lifestyle impacts the planet and reflect on what steps we need to take to minimize these impacts.
Earth Day Activities for Kids
1. Learn How to Compost
Composting is an excellent way to reduce how much your family is sending to the landfill. Plus, it makes an excellent fertilizer!
2. Donate Old Toys
As children grow, toys often end up sitting in storage or thrown away. By donating your old toys not only will they not go to waste, but you’ll bring joy to a child in need!
3. Watch a Movie
Being educated is an essential part of benefiting from Earth Day. Try watching an environmental movie this Earth Day!
4. Plant a Tree
Did you know that one tree provides enough air for three people? If you don’t have space to plant a tree at your house, try looking for local volunteer opportunities.
5. Support the Birds
The North American bird populations has declined by 2.9 billion since 1970. You can help your local bird population by building bird houses, adding birdfeeders, garden with native plants and reduce your plastic use.
Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth
While you might not be able to reverse climate change on your own, you can still make a difference. Here are some simple changes you could make in your daily life to help protect our planet.
1. Go Paperless
From the sourcing process to manufacture and disposal, the Paper industry causes environmental damage resulting in air, water and land pollution. Reduce your carbon footprint by going paperless.
2. Run The Dishwasher
Using your dishwasher every night, compared to handwashing for just 10 minutes, saves 100 gallons of water a week. That’s over 5,000 gallons of water a year!
3. Shop Wisely
Some simple ways to buy less plastic include buying eggs in cartons rather than plastic containers, buy milk in a carton or a glass bottle, buy chunks of cheese rather than pre-grated or pre-sliced. And always remember to bring your reusable bags!
4. Fight Fast Fashion
Every year 87% of that year’s fast fashion ends up in landfills. Rather than buying clothes because they are the current trend, try buying clothes from sustainable brands, thrift, or wear your clothes until they need to be replaced.
5. Switch Your Light Bulbs
Replace your light bulbs with LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs as they use significantly less energy, have a longer lifespan, and produce minimal environmental impact compared to other options.
While Earth Day is a great reminder to appreciate the environmental world around us it is important to try and make sustainable choices in your everyday lives.