The original Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970 as a nationwide petition to put environmental issues on the political agenda. Thousands of schools and millions of people around the nation took part in bringing to light the importance of maintaining and sustaining the environment. That was nice. You don’t see as many huge Earth Day festivals as you used to, but we like to think that’s because every day is Earth Day. Still, we like the idea of one special day to talk to our kids and maybe come up with ideas to enjoy nature. Here’s a quick list of fun activities that are great year-round. We’re still publishing them on Earth Day, though… [photo via flickr]
- Plant a tree. One of the easiest ways to celebrate Earth Day is by planting a tree. Doing so has many benefits for you and the environment. Trees provide a habitat for many other plants and animals in your yard.Trees planted in your yard can actually help lower your cooling bill by providing shade.
- Recycle. Visit your local recycling center and learn how the process works. It’s quite fascinating to learn how all the things you consider useless once empty can be recycled and reused. Make sure to save up your plastic bottles, soup cans, and soda cans to take along. You may even make a little pocket change in the process.
- Create a plan with the family on how to recycle and save energy. Talk about how you can save money by turning off lights and electronics when not in use, and what items can be collected and turned in for recycling. Make it a family activity to change all the light bulbs in the house to the energy-saving kind.
- Plant a vegetable or flower garden. There’s nothing more satisfying than growing and eating your own crops. And, flowers provide a home and food source for many helpful insects.
- Go on a nature hike. There is no better way to appreciate nature than to take a hike through the woods. Many parks have nature trails that allow you to walk for miles to enjoy the natural beauty of our planet.
- Volunteer to help clean up litter in a park or along the roadside. Make this a family activity and do your part to keep this great planet of ours clean.
- Attend Earth Day events in your area. Most communities have organized Earth Day events for adults and children. You can find nationwide events at www.earthday.org.
- Prepare an Earth Day meal. Cook a healthy meal made with organic foods and invite friends and family over to help you celebrate. If the weather is nice, eat outside and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. Before each guest leaves, give him or her a small plant to take home to plant.
