Earth Day Projects and Activites | Positive Promotions

Earth Day Ideas

Celebrate Earth Day

The History Of Earth Day

   The idea of having a national “Earth Day” to voice concerns about environmental problems came from Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. He initiated the event, but it truly was a grassroots effort. He later wrote, “It organized itself.” More than 20 million Americans gathered across the United States on April 22, 1970 to demonstrate on behalf of the environment.

   Earth Day has been a huge success! It sparked an environmental movement that led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. In 1990, Earth Day went global. Currently Earth Day activities are held in more than 180 countries.

   You can join the movement too! Here are several great ideas that utilize our educational and motivational tools for added impact. Use them as a springboard for your own Earth Day celebration. Make a difference for future generations who will inherit this planet we call home.


	Environmental Images
	Encourage youngsters to spend time outdoors in the week before Earth Day. Hold a photography contest. Set at least one guideline, that the photos be of items in nature, such as trees, mountains, etc. Loan cameras to kids who would like to compete, but don’t have access to one. Give “Earth Care Starts With Me” Silicone Bracelets and “Earth Day Every Day” Zipper Pulls to everyone who participates. To the “photographers” with the best photos, award gift cards from local stores.


	Evening Of Entertainment
	Celebrate Earth Day in a big way. Plan a movie night and invite all K-12 students in the neighborhood, plus their parents. Have the elementary and junior high students (supervised of course) watch Happy Feet, projected onto a large screen. Happy Feet may seem like a light-hearted story about penguins, but actually has an excellent environmental message. Play Inconvenient Truth for the high school students and for the adults. Distribute “101 Things You Can Do About Global Warming” Educational Activities Books to the younger kids and “Make A Difference, Fight Global Warming” Pencils to everyone else.


	Green Party
	Earth Day can be a happy occasion in which to show gratitude for our Earth and learn how to protect it. Hold a party, similar to a birthday party, to celebrate. Buy plates and cups made out of recycled fibers. Also, decorate with biodegradable balloons. If your school allows, have a cake with the image of the Earth on it, done in frosting. During the party, give out “Celebrate Earth Day Every Day” Educational Activities Books or “Celebrate Earth DayEvery Day” Educational Activity Packs, depending on your budget.


	Focus On Food
	Many people in your community may not have had the opportunity to try locally grown food. Give them a taste of what’s available by organizing a food fair. Find local growers of produce who can come to the fair. Have them introduce their fruits and vegetables. Also, let experts on organic food speak at the event. Ask them to talk about the benefits organic farming offers to people and the planet. Distribute “Earth-Friendly Shopping Guide” Pocket Pals or Family Guide To Going Green Slideguides to provide fair attendees with more ways to help the environment.


	United For A Cause
	Organize a project that leads to a discussion of how our actions impact other living beings. Start with sheets of printer paper that already have something printed on one side and were headed for the recycling bin. Cut the paper into strips, and give each child one of them. Ask the children to write ways that humans change their environment, both good and bad. Award an “Earth Care Crew...Together We Make A Difference” Lollipop or “Super Hero For The Environment” Temporary Tattoo for turning in strips. Link them together to form a chain. Talk to the children about how everything is connected on the Earth, like the paper links.


	For All To See
	Bring some extra attention to your Earth Day events. In advance, film a video preview of what your group will be doing. Have the “Cares For The Earth” Banner in the background of some of the shots. The banner has a space for you to write the name of your school or organization. For more emphasis, have on hand “Earth Buddy” Stickers for the people appearing in the video to wear. Contact the community TV channel in the area to see if you can have your video aired before and during Earth Day. Perhaps it will inspire others to hold their own activities.


	Gathering Of Groups
	If you work with older students, give them a chance to learn about the wide range of environmental organizations that exist. Recruit representatives from groups with local chapters. Have them set up informational booths. Ask that there be a short activity to do at each one. Supply the students with forms to get initialed whenever they visit a booth and complete the activity. Use “I Heart The Earth” Silicone Dog Tags or “I’m Cool, I Recycle” Yo-Yos as prizes for getting initials from all the representatives.


	Playing Up Your Messag
	Involve local talent in your activities. Ask local theater groups, high school drama clubs, and college drama departments to propose ideas for an Earth Day play. Pick the best one, and arrange to have it performed at your school. Note: This will need to be done well in advance of Earth Day so there is time to write and rehearse the play. Thank the performers with Earth Day Flower Pot & Pledge Kits or Tote-ally Reusable Shopping Bags.


	Chilling Consequences
	Nowadays, polar bears are often in the media during discussions of global warming. The bears and the melting glaciers they live on have become a symbol of what humans are doing to the planet. Assign your students the task of researching and writing about polar bears and their habitat. Hang up a “Wild About Earth Day” Poster and hand out “Wild About Earth Day” Ribbon Bracelets to get students’ minds on threatened wild animals. After the reports have been turned in, show the National Geographic movie Arctic Tale. The movie follows the lives of polar bears.


	Trees: We Need You
	Prior to Arbor Day, which is April 25 this year, collect empty cereal boxes. Then go to www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/earth/mmagazine.htm for instructions on how to turn the cereal boxes into magazine holders. On Arbor Day, remind students that magazines are not possible without trees. Then help them each build a magazine holder. Explain how it is good to reuse items made out of trees, like the boxes. Give everyone a “10 Reasons To Plant A Tree” Bookmark or a “Celebrate Arbor Day” Gift Pack.