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PBS LEARNING MEDIA | Earth Day | PBS KIDS

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Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That's why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we're making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when a United States senator from Wisconsin organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues. Rallies took place across the country and, by the end of the year, the U.S. government had created the Environmental Protection Agency. By 1990, Earth Day was an event celebrated by more than 140 countries around the globe.

You can celebrate and protect the planet at the same time. Check out these Earth Day ideas to help save the planet any time of year.

BECOME A WASTE WARRIOR

The number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year would stretch halfway to the moon. Toilet paper tubes, made from cardboard, take two months to decompose in a landfill. A plastic bottle sticks around for way longer-it can take over 450 years to break down! But instead of turning to the trash bin, you could turn these items into an awesome telescope or a flower planter. Before you throw something away, think about whether it can be recycled or repurposed. You can also limit waste by reducing the amount of things you buy. For example, check the library for that book you have to read before visiting the store.

PLANT A TREE

Researchers estimate roughly 15 billion trees in the world are cut down each year, so help offset that loss by planting a tree of your own. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen for people to breathe. They also provide shelter and food for animals such as squirrels and owls. Depending on where trees are planted, their shade can even reduce the need for air-conditioning in hotter months. How many more reasons do you need to go green?

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

Does that lamp really need to be on while the sun is out? Electricity doesn't just happen-it has to be produced from things around us. A lot of times it comes from fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that contribute to climate change. But electricity can also be made from renewable sources like wind, water, the sun, and even elephant dung! No matter where it's coming from, try conserving electrical energy by using only what you need.

LIMIT YOUR WATER USAGE

It might seem like it's everywhere, but clean, drinkable water is a limited resource. In fact less than one percent of the water on Earth can be used by humans. (The rest is either too salty or too difficult to access.) Turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth can conserve up to eight gallons of water a day. To help save even more water, challenge yourself to take a shorter shower (but still get clean!).

OFFER YOUR TIME

With a parent's permission, volunteer to pick up trash at a nearby park, start a collection drive for recyclable items, or organize a screening of an environmentally themed movie. By getting involved and working with others, you're not just helping the Earth-you're making new friends too!

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

Talk to your friends and family members about what you're doing and ask them to help. Need to get the conversation started? Get everyone together and reconnect with nature by taking one of our Get Outside challenges, or check out some other green tips you can share. The more people do, the better off our planet will be!

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Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That's why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we're making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

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20 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day!

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A home for bugs and creepy crawlies.

Whether you like them or hate them, they are part of our world and play an important part in our ecosystem. Like any creature living on our planet, whether that is a human or a bug, we all need somewhere to call home. Creating somewhere for these critters to live will introduce your children to the nature that we live side by side with. It will open opportunities for learning about habitats, ecosystems, food chains and the concept of a life cycle in comparison to a humans. It will also hopefully begin to instil consideration and awareness to how we treat nature and for the life forms that live in it. These are important lessons to learn, at any age.

Building a house for bugs is important in any season, as it will give them somewhere to shelter from the elements. Insects encourage pollination of flowers and vegetables and help defend the land from unhelpful bugs that would damage them. When we think of creepy crawlies we often associate them to the countryside, big gardens and parks. Not many people realize however, that creating homes for bugs within cities is really important too. Just as those bugs in the countryside help pollination, those in urban centres are crucial to help welcome pollination and the growth of insect societies.

All over the world researchers and scientists have been creating and forming a movement that is recognising how important it is to create urban habitats for wildlife. From planting trees to building bee sanctuaries for solitary bees, there is something in the air. Richard Conniff, a National Magazine Award-winning writer, predicts there is an 'urban wildlife movement' happening.

So how can I help?

I hear you say. So glad you asked!

We can start by building a bug hotel.

If you start to research Bug Hotels, you may well find monumental structures that look a little daunting. Worry not! They don't have to be big, in fact, the best hotels are often the ones with not 1000s of rooms.

What do I need to build one? Will it be expensive?

No! That is half the fun of building a bug hotel. It doesn't have to be expensive. In fact the best ones are almost entirely free.

All you have to do is look round your house for an unwanted box or draw, look in your recycling for empty cans, cardboard, glass jars and plastic bottles, look outside and find some nature. It is simple as that. Once you start thinking about what you can use, you'll find that is all you can see!

Can you give me some ideas of what we can use?

Of course!

Natural Materials

Recyclables

Leaves

Toilet Paper Roll

Pinecones

Scrap Paper

Bark & Twigs

Bricks

Flowers

Palettes / Skids

Moss

Cardboard

Wood Chips

Plastic Bottles / Milk Cartons

Nut Shells

Drain Pipes

Bamboo

Popsicle Sticks

Grass

Rope

Tree Stumps

Chicken Wire

Stones

Plant Pots

Shells

Old Drawers or Photo Frames

Twine

Old Tires

What type of bugs may I see move into my Bug Hotel?

Good question. That will entirely depend on where in the world you live and whether you live in an urban, suburban or rural area. Basically, whether you live in a city, close to a city or in the countryside. But if we are just giving a loose summary of the types of critters you may encounter, here are some possibilities.

Wood Lice

Ants

Beetles

Snails

Slugs

Frogs / Toads

Bumble Bees

Butterflies

Grasshoppers

Hedgehogs

Ladybugs

Worms

Lets get started:

1. Go out into your gardens, parks, countryside and find some nature to collect. Take a bag and pick up anything you think you might be able to use. Have a look at the table above for some Nature ideas.

2. Now go into your recycling and through your house to see if you can repurpose any items. It could be as big as a drawer, or as small as a child's shoebox. You will need something like a box or bottle in shape to pack your bug house up. Keep in mind it will need to be waterproof, as it'll be outside rain or shine! Have a look at our Recyclable table for some ideas.
We have used a house shaped photo frame and a milk carton for these Bug Hotel bases. To use the frame, the backing was removed, but kept the glass. This way, we can quietly examine the inside of the hotel after the Bugs start to move in! Neat right?! If you use a plastic jug, you can achieve the same affect!

3. Start to build up your Bug Hotel with all the items you have collected. Be inventive! There is no right or wrong.

4. Once you are satisfied it is packed sufficiently full. Take a step back and admire your handiwork!

5. Find somewhere in the garden or your balcony to make it's home. Remember to go and check up on it after a few weeks and see who has moved in. Just remember to be really careful not to scare them, we don't want them to move out after we have made it so welcoming.

So lets all stop getting BUG EYED looking at this computer screen and go outside and enjoy the sun.

And just because we like a good pun, we'll end with one.

Why are A's like flowers? Because B's come after them!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Contributor

Grace Selous Bull is an arts education author and freelance blogger. Her book, 'Potty About Pots: arts and crafts for home and school' is aimed at children from 5-12 years old and takes them through a journey of ceramics through time. Her blog, The Rainbow Tree, explores all aspects of arts and crafts, and is aimed at children of all ages. She is a full time Mummy of two girls, both of whom love being creative, and is married to her husband, Andrew, who does not. Follow her on twitter.

Original content © 2018 Super Simple. Not to be reprinted without express written permission. Terms of Service.

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A home for bugs and creepy crawlies. Whether you like them or hate them, they are part of our world and play an important part in our ecosystem. Like any creature living on our planet, whether that is a human or a bug, we all need somewhere to call home.

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Use egg cartons to get seeds started inside!