Earth Day 2015

 Credit: EarthDay.org

We are gearing up for Earth Day in 2nd grade and a great way to kick start Earth Day 2015 is with a little info on what it all means.  This gets the conversation started at home AND at school. 

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd of every year.  It began in 1970 and has since been recognized as the one day we take time out to acknowledge how we can positively impact our planet.  Earth Day is celebrated in over 192 countries!  We should limit our celebration of the Earth to just one day - we should celebrate our beautiful planet 365 days a year! 

There's lots we can do in our own communities to kick off Earth Day, but it's important that we continue our efforts year round.  Recycling is an important part of our planet.  This year we have talked about the importance of what it means to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE!  A lot of what we put into the trash can be recycled.  A lot of what we put in the trash can also be reused.  We can always reduce how much we consume.  Less in landfills means less pollution for our planet and the less we use, the less that is produced to be sold!

Make a promise to yourself that you plan to commit to from here on out.  Last year, I stopped drinking bottled water and switched to a reusable container that I can fill every morning.  I still do this!  This year, I am quitting K-Cups.  I can't believe how long I used the single cup coffee brewing system with these.  It's estimated that enough K-Cups have been used in the last few years to circle the globe over 10 times!  I still plan to use my Keurig brewer, but I'm using a reusable filter to make my morning coffee.  Cheaper for myself and better for my planet! 

Talk to your kids about what you can do at home to change the way you impact the planet!  Some ideas can include recycling, turning off the water when we brush our teeth, skip the shower and take a bath, use vinegar and water to clean the house in a reusable spray bottle, pick up trash in your neighborhood (with gloves), cut old clothing items into rags for cleaning.  The list goes on and on! 

For more information on what you can do for your planet, visit the links below:
Eco Kids! Celebrate Earth Day
ISF Youth
PBS - Eeko World
A Student's Guide to Global Warming
Earth Matters for Kids