Earth Day : Origin, History, Ways to Celebrate and Activities for Toddlers, Kids and Schools
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Earth Day
Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day is observed as a day to reflect on our world, how we can safeguard our environment, and how we can combat climate change. This year marks its 52nd anniversary.
Why do we celebrate Earth Day?
Mother Nature is pleading for action. Nature is in distress. Oceans are becoming more acidic as plastic accumulates. Extreme heat, wildfires, and floods have affected millions of people. COVID-19, a worldwide health pandemic connected to the health of our ecosystem, is still a threat today.
Climate change, man-made alterations to nature, and crimes that damage biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, expanded agriculture and livestock production, or the expanding illegal wildlife trade, might hasten the planet’s demise.
Earth Day serves as a reminder to all of us to keep the environment in mind as we go about our daily lives. It’s a day to remember to keep doing the little things that help the environment.
Origin of Earth day
Since 1970, Earth Day has been observed. The first time it was witnessed was in the United States, when 20 million people came to the streets to protest the Santa Barbara oil disaster in 1969. Since then, the event has helped to raise awareness about a variety of environmental issues.
Americans consumed large amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles in the decades leading up to the first Earth Day. Industry belched up smoke and sludge with no concern for legal or public repercussions. Air pollution was widely regarded as a sign of success. Until now, the majority of Americans were mostly unaware of environmental problems and the dangers that a contaminated environment poses to human health.
With the release of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962, however, the stage was set for change. The book was a landmark moment for public understanding and concern for living organisms, the environment, and the inextricable links between pollution and disease, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries.
History of Earth Day
- It began in the United States in 1970 and swiftly grew into a global phenomenon.
- The first Earth Day mobilizes 20 million Americans to demand more environmental protections.
- By 1990, Earth Day had grown to 200 million people in 141 nations.
- The potential of digital media is being used to create millions of local conversations in more than 180 countries for Earth Day 2000.
- The Canopy Project and A Billion Acts of Green were launched by the Earth Day Network in 2010. 75,000 global partners from 192 countries are participating in Earth Day 2010.
- Earth Day 2020 will honour the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with global activations aimed at mobilizing a billion people around the world to take transformative action for our planet.
Different ways to celebrate Earth Day
It can be difficult to consider what we can do personally to contribute to a healthy environment at times. We’ve compiled a list of five things you can do to commemorate Earth Day, lower your carbon footprint, and contribute to a more sustainable world to make it easier.
1. Make a garden
Consider creating your garden in your backyard. This can help you save money, improve the community, and allow you to get more out of what you’re doing regularly. Plant some flowers and you’ll have a lovely scented garden. Then you can plant some vegetables and harvest all of the products you require.
2. Take part in an Earth Day event
Making your next meal plant-based can be an easy way to participate in Earth Day. You can campaign for climate change, build an Earth Day window sign, or help plant a forest if you wish to join a bigger community of Earth Day supporters and make your Earth Day support more visible.
3. Get yourself a reusable water bottle
Each year, the United States consumes 50 billion plastic water bottles. The majority of these bottles are not recycled, and they end up in landfills, oceans, and other places, causing harm to species and the environment. It takes 17 million barrels of gasoline to make these bottles, which is enough to power 1.3 million cars for a year. After that, much more energy is expended on shipping and recycling water bottles.
Earth would immensely appreciate it if society’s addiction to superfluous water bottles could be broken.
4. Donate your time to charitable organizations (local or national)
You may help the globe and its environment by making an effort to make the world a better place. There are many wonderful things to do, and there are usually local activities on Earth Day as well.
5. Optimize the energy efficiency of your home
Electricity and heating require a lot of energy in homes. In fact, residential and commercial buildings absorb 40% of the energy consumed in the United States. Everyone would have to consume a certain amount of energy annually in order for the globe to escape the worst effects of climate change. In just two weeks, the average American household spends more than that.
Fortunately, there are a number of simple solutions to reduce energy consumption.
Improving a home’s energy efficiency, from insulation to LED lighting to installing a water heater, benefits the environment while also saving you money in the long run. Here are a few pointers from the pros.
6. Purchase reusable bags
According to estimates, Americans use 100 billion plastic bags per year, and the production of these bags alone consumes around 12 million barrels of oil. Not to mention that they take up a lot of landfill space and pose a serious threat to marine life. Instead, invest in some extremely cute reusable shopping bags to use at the supermarket. You’ll not only look good, but you’ll also be good for the environment!
7. Spend quality time outdoors
We might become so engrossed in what’s going on on Instagram that we lose sight of how much pleasure it is to go outside. Earth Day serves as a gentle reminder of how amazing and beautiful our earth is. Take advantage of the opportunity! Spend the day reading, eating lunch, or simply breathing deeply in the fresh air if you have a backyard. If you reside in a big city with a lot of people, go for a stroll during the day when the streets are less busy. Simply try to spend some time outside and express gratitude for the wonderful area we all call home.
8. Encourage people to join in the Earth Day activities
Try putting together a promising board at your workplace, school, or place of worship. You can leave post-it notes there for people to write down the environmental activities they intend to do over the next year or so.
9. Make a conscious effort to make your workplace more eco-friendly
Look into what you can do to make it a little bit easier for everyone when it comes to getting active in environmental stewardship. Do some research on recycling and have everything in order so that everyone may contribute.
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10. Educate Kids
Everything you do for the environment starts with education. If you learn more about what you can do to help the environment, you’ll be able to put that information to good use and share it with others who might be interested. And that can make a major difference in the long run. Install a play garden to help kids learn about the environment. These can help children develop an appreciation for nature while also being a lot of fun and allowing them to get their hands a little muddy.
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11. To do list
Make a list of objectives for the coming year. What are your plans for the rest of the year? What steps will you take to ensure that you can receive all you require without too much difficulty? Prioritize those things above all else
12. Just don’t wait for the Earth Day to inspire change
Don’t put it off till Earth Day! Imagine how much more we could accomplish if we took care of the environment every day of the year instead of only on Earth Day. So, why not look into what you can do throughout the year to make protection of the environment a regular part of your lifestyle.
Earth Day Activities For Kids, Toddlers and Students
Getting the kids to develop a list of things they want to do to help keep our environment healthy is a terrific approach to get them involved in Earth Day. We’ve put up a list of fun ideas for kids and toddlers to enjoy
- Take the kids on a walk to a nearby park to witness birds and nature.
- Make flower and plant drawings.
- Take a long stroll or a bike ride (leave the car behind)
- Send the youngsters outside to play in the garden or at the park.
- Collect trash and recyclables in your neighbourhood
- Look through your shelves for books to donate to your local library or charity shop.
- Bake your favourite cookie or biscuit recipe and let the kids ice them to look like planet Earth.
What are some additional engaging activities?
Create a scavenger hunt for Earth Day
Scavengers who hunt for earth day will let them understand the different components of the earth’s environment while hunting for clues. Send the youngsters outside to play in the garden or at the park to explore more.
Spot ideas
You could, for example, provide lists of different birds to spot along with photographs, or images of specific flowers and plants.
Let them use their doodle and drawing abilities
They can also use their drawing abilities to draw earth and inspire them to do better to make it greener by adding colours.
With your family, create a food garden
Demonstrate how to develop and maintain vegetable gardens for children.
It’s critical to emphasize the importance of encouraging wildlife and pollinators by planting gardens with our produce.
Make a batch of salt dough with your family and get creative!
Begin by rolling your hands into a ball and flattening it. Make a small hole towards the top to thread a piece of yarn or string through to hang it. Brush on the continents with green acrylic or craft paint. Blue paint should be used to fill in the remaining areas. You now hold the entire planet in your hands!
Hang ornaments made of birdseed
Celebrate Earth Day by using birdseed ornaments to feed the birds.
You can prepare these with items you already have in your kitchen or buy them from local shops or garden centers. When you hang them outside the kitchen window, they’re fantastic for letting kids view the birds that come to visit.
Plant a tree to help pollinators as well as to capture carbon
Pollinators such as bees and other pollinators are critical to our food supply. Their dwindling numbers may have an impact on the supply of food in supermarkets. Set up a new project for kids with simple instructions on how to plan and build a bee, butterfly, and hummingbird-friendly home garden. To get them started, give them pamphlets with a list of different plants and bushes. Container gardens are a terrific space-saving option for youngsters who live in apartments.
Excavating a shallow trench
Consider excavating a shallow trench in your backyard and planting a new tree.
Try a few vegan options.
Check to see whether your kids like any eco-friendly food
From breakfast to dinner, there are millions of recipes to try on the internet. Find out the ones your kids want to try and cook with them. This is a fun and simple way to get your kids involved in Earth Day celebrations.
Make them learn to use recyclable material
Instruct children in the proper use of recyclable materials. Make your recycling bins and give them to the kids to decorate with stickers and names. Not only will teaching children to reuse, recycle, and reduce assist the environment, but it will also benefit them.
How to inspire students to celebrate Earth Day
We’ve compiled a list of Earth Day activities that are appropriate for your classroom and beyond, as well as some extra activities that kids may do at home with their parents.
There’s always a chance to teach pupils about environmental protection, recycling, and minimizing unnecessary waste, no matter where they are.
Let’s get this party started!
1. Consider planting a tree
By 2020, the Earth Day Network hopes to have planted 7.8 billion trees, or one tree for every person on the planet. You’re taking a tangible action with your pupils and contributing to a larger aim by planting trees. Before you begin, make sure to read over these tree-planting tips.
2. Organize an e-waste collection drive
E-waste is becoming more of an issue in the United States and around the world. E-waste accounts for more than 70% of all harmful trash in landfills. It’s not surprising, however, that just 12.5 percent of e-waste is recycled.
Your pupils will have the opportunity to assist raise awareness about this issue in our school and community. To assist battle this problem in your town, students can research a nearby recycling facility and organize a drive to collect e-waste.
3. Bring art projects into the mix
Art projects are a wonderful way to incorporate a hands-on activity into an Earth Day lesson. Even if the issues you’re studying are taking place far away from home, making art can help children feel connected to environmental issues. It’s also a fantastic method to assist kids in imagining the world in which they desire to live.
4. Make a video or a presentation to encourage others to act
Students can have a greater impact if they can persuade others to do their bit in environmental protection. Creating a video or presentation also aids their internalization of the topic – they must grasp it before they can communicate it to others. Presentations can take place in the classroom or even in front of the entire school. They may eventually be able to present their findings and lessons.
5. Make them learn composting
Assist pupils in developing excellent environmental practices, such as composting. They’ll learn how to recycle plant debris and create lush, healthy gardens.
What to do: Place the bin outside in the sun, on top of the dirt. Fill up the gaps with kitchen scraps. Waste from the kitchen with a coating of earth on top. Cover with an old rug and a lid.
Continue to compost your kitchen garbage. As the compost decomposes, turn it over with a shovel from time to time.
Very nice information we love our earth
Great
We only have one home, one planet. We should start thinking beyond our lives and care for the planet so it makes life easy for coming generations.
Good piece of information 👏