Around the World in 50 weeks, is a day early this week, so that we can unite world wide to celebrate Earth Day, April 22nd 2012. It is a day each year on which events are held globally to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth‘s natural environment. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 175 countries . I have ten suggestions as to how you and your family might celebrate this year.
- There will be a huge gathering in the central mall in Washington DC. Join in solidarity with millions of others and celebrate our wonderful world.
- Visit a US National Park for free. Whether an urban site such as the Statue of Liberty in NYC or the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, to Yosemite and Zion, from 21 to 29 April, entry is free.
Yosemite National Park
- Walk or bike to your nearest farmers market and buy fresh, local produce for a tasty organic Sunday dinner! Make this a family project.
- Dress in environmental colors for the day. Make and wear badges with your environmentally friendly views!
- With the World Wildlife Fund, stand with Brazil on Earth Day and say No to Forest Destruction!
- If you have never had the thrill of planting your own vegetable garden and enjoying your organic veggies, then spring is the perfect time to prepare your ground and start the first plantings.
- Go trash collecting in your neighbourhood!
Research together as a family and consider joining one of the many wonderful environmental organizations. Either one locally, or with an international focus such as WWF or Born Free.- Read some wonderful environmentally focused books as a family, both nonfiction and fiction. I have reviewed many here on this blog, which you can find by clicking on the tags in the sidebar. Otherwise, Apples for the Teacher has a great list of suggestions and activities.
- Do a load of washing with the kids and explain to them that If every US home switched washers from hot to warm/-cold, we could save energy comparable to 100,000 barrels of oil
Facts about Earth
Age: 4.6 billion years old (Life as we know it, has only existed on the planet for the last 150 million to 200 million years)
Position: 3rd planet from the sun.
Size: 5th largest planet in our solar system.
Diameter: The Earth has an average diameter of 12,742 kilometers. (7,926 miles)
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
Thoughtful post Joanna for Earth day. Enjoyed your suggestions. When you think of how old the earth is and visit Yosemite or Zyon National Parks and wonder if the earth looked like this before we over developed it in the past centuries, it is daunting to think about its future with the warming of the gulf, the melting of Greenland, oil drilling, fracking and natural disasters that have occurred. So much that we can do, that we are not. Such an important day to reflect and take action. My favorite organization is the NRDC. Great post!
The NRDC is a fabulous organization, Pat! There is still much to do, but there are also signs of hope everywhere. I have just read this morning that Vermont have banned fracking, and we must celebrate every little victory!
They stopped fracking in NE Ohio due to links to earthquakes. Our governor is pushing to start fracking activities in our area. We sit on an important plate, and near the New Madrid fault line in Missouri. Obama was just hear discussing with Gov Kasich last month — I’m troubled the president is behind it. Kasich assured him it would be safe. I worked for ODNR for five years. It bring jobs…it helps the economy…get tired of the rhetoric. I am concerned about the ground water. Touchy subject in PA and OH. Never thought it would come this close to me.
Oh, Pat, sometimes it feels like it’s two steps forward and one step back. $$ speak so loud whatever the state or the nation, that the voice of reason and conservation has trouble to be heard!
Excellent post, Joanna. I hit the “share” button before even coming to the comments section!
Your suggestions for activities are great. For those of us in chillier climates, a trip out of the city/town (an “expotition” to use Christopher Robin’s word) to look for wildflowers coming up, or for birds returning, would be a good activity. A “Look and Listen” walk looking both at the grandeur and the tiny details of nature, even in the city, is another great thing to do either as a family or as an individual.
Thanks for this post! Happy Earth Day!
I love your suggestions for those in more northerly climes, Beth! It is also a great reminder that EVERY city has amazing possibilities for nature walks. I discovered many when I lived in London, courtesy of a friend who was an avid walker and bird watcher!
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Happy (late) Earth Day! Your suggestions to celebrate Earth Day are great! It’s good to help remind people about using less and cleaning up more! 🙂
Happy Earth Day to you too, Erik, loved your post yesterday!
So sorry I’m always a day late with my comments because that’s when your post notifications arrive in my inbox! So even though it’s no longer Earth Day, really, every day should be Earth Day. I love all your suggestions. We are thinking of planting a vegetable garden again this year – we have a terrible time with deer, so we’ve skipped a couple years – but hoping to build a better fence – we’ll see if we have time 🙂 Thanks for the thoughtful post 🙂
Susanna, thanks for the help-post about this in 12×12, I hope it is now rectified 🙂
Happy Late Earth Day! What a great post!
Thanks, Cortney!
Wonderful Earth Day post! I loved reading it. Our earth is the only one we have. Let us treasure it and care for it. Recycle people! Plant trees. Do whatever you can. We live on a farm, so we tend our part of earth tenderly. 🙂
Yes, you guys on the farm celebrate Earth Day 365 days of the year, Robyn!
Our family tradition is for each of the kids to pick a new plant/flower at the nursery every year on Earth Day and plant it. We also have a rule – fill the recycle can every week, but take two weeks to fill the trash.
What a lovely Earth Day tradition, very personal for each child! And a super balanced household rule!
We did several of your suggestions on earth day. Although, I wished, I’d remembered about the National Parks. If I’d planned ahead, we could have had an extra fun day. Maybe next year. Thanks for the great suggestions!
Impressed that your household was so active for Earth Day, Hannah! 🙂