Earth Day is just around the corner. If you are still wondering where to celebrate Earth Day, why not turn your attention to your own backyard and celebrate this green holiday with your family in a relaxed and meaningful way. How to celebrate Earth Day? We’ve put together 11 creative ways for both adults and children to help you bring environmental concepts into your daily life.
1. Plant a Tree
Planting trees is an effective way to protect the environment and improve the ecology. By absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, trees reduce greenhouse gas emissions and purify the air. They also keep the soil moist and prevent soil erosion.
Tree species suitable for the local climate and soil should be choosed. It’s recommended to choose native tree species, which are better adapted to the environment and also better support the local ecosystem. For example, New York and Pennsylvania are suitable for growing white oak and red maple; Arizona and New Mexico are ideal for palo verde and pinyon pine; Washington is well-suited for Douglas fir and western red cedar.
When planting a tree, first dig an appropriately sized pit, making sure that the depth and width of the pit is suitable for the roots of the tree. Place the sapling in the pit, fill it with soil and compact it gently to ensure stability. Finally, water and care for the tree regularly to help it grow healthily.
2. Do a Spring Clean-Up
Earth Day is a great time to do some spring cleaning! Removing accumulated dead leaves and debris not only beautifies your yard, but also prevents mold growth and harmful substances from seeping into the soil. Trim your garden and lawn to create better space for new plants to grow. If there are furniture or decorative items that are no longer in use, consider donating, recycling or doing DIY reuse.
3. DIY a Compost Bin
DIY a compost bin can turn kitchen waste into nutrients for the soil, effectively reducing the amount of our landfills, and increasing soil fertility and promoting plant growth.
To DIY a compost bin, you first need to prepare a well-ventilated container, such as a special compost bucket or a large plastic bucket with ventilation holes. Then, spread a layer of dead branches or dried leaves on the bottom of the bucket, followed by alternating layers of kitchen fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, or other organic waste. Turn the compost pile weekly to add oxygen and keep it moist. After a few months, the compost will be converted into nutrient-rich black soil and ready for use.
4. Make Water-Saving Devices
Water conservation is an important step to protect the earth’s water resources. We can DIY simple water saving devices to reduce water wastage and lower the cost of water consumption at home.
For example, diy a rainwater collection barrel. By placing it underneath the drainpipe to bring roof rainwater into the barrel, the collected water can be used to water flowers or washing your car. Or make a simple drip irrigation system by burying a hose and installing a drip tip in your garden to deliver water directly to plant roots, effectively reducing water waste.
5. Have a Backyard Picnic
6. Organize an Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunt is an educational and fun parent-child activity. It stimulates children’s curiosity about nature and helps foster their environmental awareness.
Prepare a “scavenger hunt” list of items such as a specially shaped leaf, an insect, a wildflower, or a recyclable item, and then let your children start looking in the backyard with an eco-friendly bag. A time limit can be set to add to challenge of the game. After the scavenger hunt, parents can go through the collected items with their children, explaining their names, characteristics and ecological significance, so that children can learn more about nature during the game.
7. DIY a Milk Carton Bird Feeder
Spring is the season when birds nest and breed, and bird feeders can provide adequate food for birds arriving in the spring to help keep them healthy during breeding. By hanging a bird feeder, you will also be able to observe the birds up close and enjoy a close encounter with nature.
The steps to make a milk carton bird feeder are relatively simple. First, cut an opening in one side of an empty, cleaned milk carton.Then, fix a small branch or stick under the opening as a perch for the birds to stay and eat. Finally, fill the box with prepared bird food and hang it in a well-ventilated place outdoors, and you’re done!
If you have any questions about the production process, we have prepared a reference video for you, please check it out!
8. Host a Swap and Share Event
Holding a backyard swap and share event on Earth Day can not only recycle unused items and reduce resource waste, but also further enhance the relationship between relatives and friends and convey environmental protection concepts.
You can send out invitations to friends and family a few days in advance, asking them to bring along unused items from home, such as small appliances, kitchen utensils or clothing. On the day, simply divide the area according to the types of items, so that everyone can browse and swap items.
9. Organize an Ecology Quiz Competition
Ecology quiz competition can be a great way to improve people’s understanding of environmental protection. You can prepare some questions covering topics such as water conservation, recycling, plant protection, and more. Make the activity more engaging by setting up a simple quiz format, such as multiple-choice questions, true or false, or picture puzzles. The competition can be held in single-player or team mode, and the individual or group with the highest score at the end will be awarded some eco-friendly prizes.
10. Conduct an Eco-Obstacle Course
On Earth Day, we can also organize some sports activities, such as an eco-obstacle course. In this course, participants first need to go around obstacles such as branches and rocks, and then correctly sort the garbage at the recycling station (e.g. distinguishing between recyclable and non-recyclable items). The participant who completes the challenge the fastest will be rewarded.
11. Watch Eco-Friendly Films
In the evening, you can host an environmentally themed movie night. Set up a simple outdoor theater in your backyard with a projector and comfortable cushions or chairs. A Plastic Ocean, An Inconvenient Truth, and Our Planet are all great film choices with environmental significance that will stimulate deeper thinking about the environment.
When watching a movie, you can prepare some healthy snacks and drinks, such as vegetable spring rolls, sugar-free nut energy bars or fruit platters, with juice or tea in a reusable water bottle.
After the movie, everyone can sit around and share their thoughts about the movie, or discuss their daily environmental habits, such as how to reduce plastic use and separate household garbage properly. Let this movie night be both a relaxing gathering and an inspiring conversation about sustainability.
We hope that the ideas we have shared will provide you with inspiration to celebrate Earth Day. Let’s start from our daily lives and contribute to protecting the earth and creating a greener future through simple actions.
