Making Earth Day Every Day

Michelle Bullock
3980 days ago.

Earth Day is observed on April 22nd and was started in the United States in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to create awareness for the Earth’s environment and to encourage conservation efforts. In 1990, Earth Day was taken international, and today, more than 500 million people in 175 countries observe Earth Day.

This year for Earth Day, I want to involve the entire family in doing what we can to keep Earth healthy for future generations. Not just on Earth Day, but every day.

During my research on the subject, I found several fun activities for families to do together that will energize the kiddos to be motivated to understand the importance of doing our part to keep our land clean.

Here are some great ideas for the whole family.

Get Your Hands Dirty

Who doesn’t love to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty? Children especially love any excuse to play in the dirt. Spend the afternoon planting a flower, vegetable, and herb or butterfly garden. Children will learn the importance of hard work when they are able to harvest goodies from their own garden.

recycled crayons 004 You’re Crafty, You’ve Got the Moves

Put those stacks of egg and milk cartons, newspapers and bottle caps to good use. Upcycle those items that are slated for the recycling bin and use them to make fun craft projects. It is amazing how easily a milk carton can be transformed into a hanging bird feeder or broken crayons can be upcycled into new crayons.

Get Unplugged

Earth Day is the perfect reminder to get outdoors and enjoy the Earth and your family more often. Turn off all of your electronics for one day and get outside for a hike, bike ride, picnic or nature walk with your family. You will be amazed to see how much easier it is to connect with your loved ones when the only buzzing that you hear is that of the bumblebees.

Start a Recycling/Upcycling Center in Your Home

If you don’t already recycle, Earth Day is the perfect day to start. When organizing a recycling center in your home, consider all of the items that you will be recycling. Make sure that there is an appropriate bin for each type of item. Also, include an upcycle bin in your recycling center — which can stow materials that you want to keep to use for art projects to do with your family.

Make an Earth Day commitment list.

Get together as a family and make a list of goals that you all want to accomplish that relate to the environment. Kids can be in charge of decorating the list and then choosing where to place it for all to see. The refrigerator or family room or anywhere your family ends up congregating is a good option. Check in every few weeks or months to see if you have been able to keep up the changes. Another fun idea – make an Earth Day time capsule. Place important environmental news stories or goals in the capsule as well as art, such as the eco-friendly car of your child’s dreams (or maybe even your dream!). Don’t forget to pull the capsule up next year to check on your progress.

Protecting our planet for our children should be our number one priority. Showing our children that protecting their Earth is easy and fun can make Earth Day every day for future generations.

How are you and your family going to do your part and celebrate Earth Day? I would love to hear your great ideas.

 

Happy Earth Day to you all!!

 We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

— Native American Proverb

More Earth Day Ideas
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Michelle Bullock

Michelle was born on "The Hill" in St. Louis and currently lives in O'Fallon, MO. She pretends she can cook fine cuisine, but can actually bake what her husband calls "Five Star Desserts". Her two greatest joys are her very cute but very evil children. She has made meeting Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam number one on her bucket list.

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