Earth Day Activities

See the thermals at Yellowstone, swim through a coral reef with David Attenborough or climb to Base Camp on Everest through Google Maps. Just because you aren’t able to see these wild and natural places in person doesn’t mean you can’t share a curiosity about them. The more one experiences and knows about a place, the more likely they are to show an appreciation for those places.

There are many ways that you can participate in citizen science year-round. Help track bird populations, help scientists understand precipitation and measure light pollution. Whether you want to help endangered species, influence the future of natural resources or help fight global warming, citizen science is one of the best ways to do so. 

Head down to a local waterway, park or open space and give the place a little love. Grab the gloves and trash bags and spend time picking up litter to beautify your favorite places and make them safe for both humans and animals. Gather friends, family and local clubs to tackle more territory. Organizations around you may be participating in their own cleanups that you can be a part of. Check out Earthday.org or volunteer events through the National Park Service or look for volunteer opportunities within your own city (Boulder, Colo. for example).

Today it is easier to be car-free than ever. Take your bike to the grocery store or even switch to public transportation for the day. Carpool to work and sports activities or get some extra exercise and fresh air by getting there without a car. 

It’s reported through the Safe Routes to School Program that nearly 90% of school children live within a mile of their school, but the number of children who ride a bicycle or walk to school continues to decline. Get the word out through your school and see how many classmates you can get together to get to school via two wheels or two legs versus by car on Earth Day. Help create a self or schoolwide challenge to encourage less chaos and congestion dropping off or picking up at school by having more students walk, ride or scoot to school. Contact the Safe Routes to School Program to start a discussion if there is a lack of sidewalks and/or safe routes to get to the local school. 

Make a pledge to use less single-use plastic in your everyday life. Bring your own grocery bags to the store. Use reusable water bottles and bring your own mug to the coffee shop. Invest in reusable sandwich bags for snacks and sandwiches and reusable produce bags to use at the grocery store. Aluminum straws cut down on straw consumption. Invest in sustainable and reusable silverware and dishes for picnics, beach days and more. 

Consider shopping at a refill shop where you can fill reusable containers with shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent and spices. Farmers markets are a great place to find produce and more without needing to use single-use plastic. It also gives you an excuse to buy one of those cute farmers market baskets or bags. 

Do you have a favorite outdoor activity? Celebrate Earth Day by participating in that activity for the day. Whether you love to hike, fish, paddle or ride the trails, spend the day doing what you love. Share your enthusiasm and love for the outdoors by inviting others to join in. Any time outside being active is time that is good for you physically and mentally.

There are so many benefits to planting a garden, including mood boosting and the production of your own food. Planting and maintaining a garden teaches one how to be a steward for the land. Physical aerobic activity and extra vitamin D exposure are additional benefits. As you plan and plant your garden, consider the plants and flowers that grow best in your area and pick ones that you enjoy and vegetables and fruit you will have use for. Be sure to throw in some plants and flowers that are good for pollinators like bees and butterflies, too. 

It may be too early in your area to plant seeds or put starter plants into the ground. In that case, plan out your garden in anticipation for when the temperature is just right. A fun addition to a day of planting is to buy a butterfly, ladybug or praying mantis hatching kit to watch the life cycle of these very useful insects. Many garden centers carry kits, or you can check in stores or online. 

If a garden isn’t possible, consider planting a tree instead. Trees provide much needed oxygen into the air, add color to a space and provide shade, shelter and even food for animals. If you don’t have the room in your yard, find an organization that plants trees in memory of lost pets or loved ones or sponsor a tree to be planted at a local park.