Earth Day is held on April 22 of each year in the United States and Canada. The first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States in 1970. As a growing reaction to toxic drinking water, air pollution, and the effects of pesticides, over 20 million people took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts. Today we celebrate Earth Day to increase awareness of environmental problems and to lift environmental issues onto the world stage. The fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more and more apparent every day.
Here are some some small steps that you and your family can take to help our planet:
- Enjoy spending time outside? Pick up trash while enjoying your outdoor activities. It is a great way to save that plastic bottle cap from the landfill while you are on your morning walk!
- Be a part of the change. Change your diet to fight climate change! Try participating in meatless Mondays!
- Convince your school district or office building to choose reusable utensils, trays, and dishes in the cafeteria.
- Help protect pollinators by pledging to go pesticide-free! We need pollinators to ensure the persistence of our crop yields and ensure healthy sustainable ecosystems now and in the future.
- Try growing your own organic garden!
If you want to learn more about Earth Day, check out these books from our Children’s Collection.
And here are some fun things that you and your family can participate in during Celebrate the Earth Week: April 19-24, 2020:
- Start your own herb and vegetable garden by picking up seed bundles from the library.
- Watch Ms. Justine do an Earth inspired story time on our YouTube Channel.
- Make a plant based resipe inspired by our A-Z World Food database. There’s a video on our YouTube page to show you how.
- Pick up an Earth Day Poster kit at the library and proudly display your poster in your house.
- Pick up a mystery kit at the library with ecofriendly recycled material to make a craft.