girl holding globe in hand
On April 21, many Neapolitans will spend time thinking about urgent issues facing the health, vitality and future of our planet. Some of us may attend Earth Day events as we join with hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens throughout the country taking action for a healthier and safer environment.
Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson who wanted to find a way to spotlight environmental problems and bring those issues to the political forefront. Billed as a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment, Earth Day continues to be a day of action for thousands of Americans.
But one day a year is not enough to protect and preserve our precious natural resources and reduce the destruction to our environment. So, how can your children celebrate Earth Day and make a difference for the environment 365 days a year? Read on for 18 suggestions your kids can use now to make a difference!
18 Earth-friendly things kids can do to celebrate Earth Day every day:
1. Enlist friends, hand out bags and clean up a local park.
2. Plant shrubs or a tree in your yard.
3. Start a vegetable garden in pots or a small plot.
4. Organize a cleanup day at your school.
5. Create posters with environmental themes and ask teachers to post them in their classrooms.
6. Look for recycling symbols on products you or your parents buy. Purchase items in recyclable packaging whenever possible. Avoid products that use excessive packaging.
7. Encourage your parents to carry a reusable shopping bag, and suggest they buy in bulk to minimize packaging waste.
8. Bicycle or walk to school rather than being driven by your parents (as long as Mom and Dad say it’s safe).
9. Steer your parents toward organic pesticides, such as those made from orange extract.
10. Turn off lights, fans or the TV when you leave the room (unless your little brother is still in there).
11. Check your home for leaky faucets or toilets, and volunteer to help fix those in need of repair.
12. Don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth or washing your face and hands.
13. Take shorter showers.
14. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean the driveway or sidewalk.
15. Remind your parents that washing the car less often saves water (and may get you out of the dreaded chore).
16. Ask your parents to raise the thermostat a few degrees, telling them it will save energy as well as money.
17. Lower the blinds when the sun comes up, which deflects heat from the windows.
18. Offer to replace air filters. A clean filter helps the air-conditioner run more efficiently.
Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency