Every year on April 22nd people around the world celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is an acknowledgment that the earth and its ecosystems provide us, its inhabitants, with life and sustenance. Earth Day is a celebration of the environment we all share. It is also a day to raise conservation awareness.
In past years Wee Watch has celebrated Earth Day and encouraged children and Providers to reduce, reuse and recycle through our “Twice is Nice” event. Our “Twice is Nice” event is our way of learning and encouraging the practice of reusing recyclable materials to create something beautiful and or useful again.
Here are some ideas so you and your little ones can create your own “Twice is Nice” masterpiece.
- Wind chimes using tin cans
- Flower pots using tin cans
- Have an empty box? Get creative! You can make a shape sorting box, musical instruments, or even a fort if it’s big enough.
- Use an empty plastic milk jug as a watering can or a bird feeder.
Earth Day is not just about recycling; it is also about reducing your carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product, or person.
Here are 10 steps you can take today to help reduce your carbon footprint:
- Change your lightbulbs – switch to energy efficient lightbulbs.
- Unplug your gadgets – when charging cords or other devices are not being used you should unplug them so they don’t use unnecessary energy.
- Carpool, take public transportation, walk or ride a bike – the less vehicles on the road the better.
- Choose a laptop over a desktop computer – laptops are designed to be energy efficient due to the battery.
- Filter your own water – buying plastic bottles of water does the earth a disservice; they are made of plastic and large vehicles are used transport the bottles to the store.
- Adjust your thermostat and your curtains – keeping your home 2 degrees warmer in the summer and 2 degrees cooler in the winter can make a huge difference.
- Buy food locally – Buying food locally cuts down on the carbon emissions from vehicles used to transport food.
- Plant a tree – planting a tree is one of the most efficient ways you can cut your carbon footprint. Trees provide shade and oxygen while consuming carbon dioxide.
- Read online – cutting down the printing of newspapers and magazines.
- Choose energy efficient kitchen appliances.
Everything you do to help the planet counts, whether you walk to work or help to clean up litter around your neighbourhood! The most important thing to remember is that Earth Day should be every day!
For more information visit https://earthday.ca