Earth Day is for everyone! As passionate members of your EcoSchools community, we’re sure you take an “Earth Day, Every Day” approach to thinking and acting in the best interests of our planet. We encourage you to use the world-wide Earth Day/Week/Month campaign to amplify your green efforts by focusing on one or more themes.
Have a look at the Earth Day Canada calendar to find an environmental event near you, or post your own! Below are a few more ideas to help you shape your own celebrations. As always, we’d love to know what you’re up to: please tag @ON_EcoSchools if you post photos or videos on social media.
Activities
Get planting! As part of the five-year countdown to Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, Earth Day Network is encouraging tree-loving people to help them reach their global goal of planting 7.8 billion trees by 2020 – one for every person on the planet. Why plant a tree? It’s one of the simplest ways to mitigate climate change: trees absorb CO2 and filter other gases and particulates out of the atmosphere, contributing to cleaner air so we can all breathe more easily. They also provide shade and habitat for fauna. Beyond all that, their majestic beauty can make us feel happier and more relaxed.
This year, Earth Day Canada is encouraging Canadians to pledge or plant a tree to help reach a collective goal of getting 25,000 trees in the ground to recognize their 25th anniversary. During Earth Month, from April 1 – 25, visit their website to participate in the #Rooting4Trees crowdfunding ‘pledge and plant’ campaign to do your part in growing a forest of 25,000 trees this April. Let’s get growing together!
Earth Day Canada also offers school-specific resources to help you take part in this campaign. Click here to download #Rooting4Trees posters, website tools, and a special EcoKids toolkit to help spread the word in your school community!
Walk and roll! With warmer weather around the corner, Earth Day is a prime opportunity to get active and get outside. If organizing an active transportation event interests you, also consider signing up for the IWALK/IWHEEL Club for resources and classroom activity ideas to get you rolling.
Explore the outdoors! Want to take your Earth Day celebrations out of the classroom? Why not visit one of Ontario’s 290 conservation areas? Here’s a map to help you locate the one nearest to you. For inspiration on using nature as a classroom, Resources for Rethinking offers a Step Outside guide two to three times per month, which highlight what’s happening in nature during a particular season, including flora, fauna and climate events. Their most recent guide, released in early March, focuses on maple syrup season – delicious.
Resources
- Dig around Evergreen’s Native Plant Database to find out which tree species to plant for your #Rooting4Trees contribution.
- Are you a newbie to planting trees? Consult this planting guide from Trees Ontario to make sure your tree has everything it needs to grow!
- We’ve got plenty of ideas for Earth Week activities, from Meatless Mondays to Lights-Free Fridays.
- Interested in exploring a Water theme for your Earth Day celebrations? Here are suggested topics for water-focused lessons from Resources for Rethinking.
- Check out Earth Day Canada’s video channel for more ideas to celebrate Earth Day.
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