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How Earth Day is Celebrated Around the World

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How Earth Day is Celebrated Around the World

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How is Earth Day Celebrated Around the World? 🌎  3 Things You Can Do to HELP EARTH 💖  Cool School

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Actions you can take each week of the year! This is aimed at high school students, but some could work for upper grades or with your own family :)

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This could be done with your class, grade level, or whole school!

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EARTH DAY EVERY DAY by Lisa Bullard and Xiao Xin-Earth Day Books for kids

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Check out this website and ocean clean up project, happening from October 29th to January 1st!

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TeamSeas and The Ocean Cleanup

TeamSeas is a fundraising campaign initiated by Mark Rober and MrBeast, content creators on YouTube. The campaign's goal is to raise 30 million USD to remove 30 million pounds of trash polluting coastal regions, rivers, and ultimately oceans. Funds ared split equally between The Ocean Cleanup and Ocean Conservancy. Find out more from Mark Rober and Boyan Slat on board our Interceptor Original in the Dominican Republic in this video.

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Mark Rober and Boyan Slat discussing the partnership

Our Interceptors

Capturing plastic in rivers is the fastest and most efficient way to rid the oceans of plastic. To do this, The Ocean Cleanup deploys a growing network of Interceptors in rivers around the world, which together have removed over 8 million kg (17.7 million lb) of trash so far.

The Ocean Cleanup currently has 14 Interceptors in 7 countries, with more expected for 2023 and 2024. Funds allocated from the TeamSeas campaign are aimed at expanding and improving our Interceptors, allowing us to make even more impact in highly polluting rivers.

DOLLARS FOR POUNDS

For each dollar allocated from the TeamSeas campaign, The Ocean Cleanup can remove one pound of trash from rivers. The #TeamSeas model is simple: The Ocean Cleanup intercepts plastic in rivers. Once this plastic catch has been verified, we then allocate the donations TeamSeas has received to where they can have most impact on plastic pollution. Your TeamSeas donations are currently funding Interceptor projects in Malaysia and Jamaica. As of June 2023 (mid-way through our partnership) The Ocean Cleanup has removed a verified total of 7 million pounds of trash from rivers around the world.

Plastic extraction in Kingston, Jamaica

At 16 years old, Boyan Slat went scuba diving in Greece - and saw more plastic bags that fish. He thought: "Why can't we just clean this up?" This led him to research plastic pollution for his school project, and start coming up with solutions. In 2012, Boyan Slat presented his cleanup concept in a TEDx talk, and the idea went viral. Boyan dropped out of university and founded The Ocean Cleanup as a non-profit project in 2013. The Ocean Cleanup now has a crew of over 140 people and is supported by millions around the world who share our commitment to this mission.

Rivers are the primary source of ocean plastic pollution: they act as the arteries that carry waste from land to sea. The Ocean Cleanup's research has found that 1000 rivers - only 1% of rivers globally - are responsible for nearly 80% riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. This information is crucial for our Interceptor strategy: we target our interventions towards these 1000 most polluting rivers, ensuring maximum impact and the most immediate reductions in plastic emissions into the ocean.

The Ocean Cleanup's mission is to rid the oceans of plastic. To do this, we use a dual strategy: cleaning up the accumulated plastic in the oceans (starting with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch), while intercepting in rivers to cut the inflow. Interceptors are currently deployed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guatemala and the United States. Future deployments are planned in Thailand ( Interceptor 019) and a second deployment in Indonesia ( Interceptor 020).

Our river solutions are tailored for each site, which means investigating ideal locations, researching any possible effects of intervention, and working with stakeholders, governments and communities to to educate and raise awareness of the problem and its solutions.

Spread our mission

The power of the crowd is what led to the start of The Ocean Cleanup back in 2013. Follow us on social media to be part of the movement.

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Get our merchandise to help spread our mission of clean oceans.

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Follow our cleanup progress with the help of our newsletters. We usually send one newsletter per month unless we have larger announcements coming up. We share news about our oceans, rivers, and research projects.

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#TeamSeas | Team Up To Clean Up | The Ocean Cleanup

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The Ocean Cleanup has teamed up with TeamSeas to help bring attention to ocean plastic pollution and raise funds to help clean it up. Learn more here.

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Artemis Fatsis - Chris Hadfield PS (1204)

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Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby

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Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby

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Read aloud with APHA Eco Bookworms: June book selection, "Old Enough to Save the Planet"

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Videos for primary and intermediate levels with discussion question suggestions.

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Videos for primary and intermediate levels with discussion question suggestions.

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"There is no away, when we throw anything away it must go somewhere" - Annie Leonard

We live in a world where many of our everyday items are disposable. From cutlery to carrier bags, we throw away a lot of items that are harmful to the environment if not recycled properly. An effective way to do our part is to buy reusable, sustainably sourced items and to reuse or recycle the disposable items we have.

Single use plastic bottles are designed for exactly that, single use. It's not safe to reuse single use plastic bottles for drinking. While most plastic bottles are recyclable, there are also lots of great ways you can reuse them for things other than drinking.

Here's 60 different ways you can reuse your everyday plastic bottles.

1. Bird Feeder

Making a bird feeder is easy! You need a plastic bottle, some string, scissors, a pencil and of course, bird seed. Take a look at this step by step tutorial.

2. Terrarium

This one is such a fun activity for kids! Head to education.com for full instructions.

3. Egg Yolk Separater

This little food hack is a game changer! Keep a clean plastic bottle to hand in the kitchen for recipes that call for separating egg yolks. Watch this video demo for more.

4. Bottle Top Bag Seal

You can use this trick for just about anything. That half-eaten "for sharing" bag of crisps? Yep. Half a bag of pasta? Yep. You name it! You can find a full step by step here.

Source: icreativeideas

PS. Don't forget to recycle the parts of the bottle you don't use. Or save them to reuse in other ways!

Need a rainy day project for the kids? You can find step by step instructions for this adorable craft here.

6. Watering Containers

Perfect for keeping your plants hydrated whilst you're on holiday! Learn more here.

7. Hanging Basket

Make a hanging planter with any size bottle. There's some fab instructions available here.

8. Pencil Case

How about a home made pencil case for the kids to take to school? Here's the instructions.

Source: makeit-loveit

9. Wind Spiral Mobile

The perfect Spring activity! You'll need bottles, paint, paintbrushes, scissors, a wooden stick and some string. Follow these instructions.

This one would make a gorgeous gift for a friend as passionate about recycling as you are! EPBOT has some fab step by step photos.

Source: EPBOT

11. Hanging Bottle Garden

This one is a lot of work but makes an amazing feature in the garden. It looks so complex but is simply made by stringing the bottles together at the top and bottom, hanging on a sturdy beam or wall, and cutting a section out of the bottle to plant your herbs, flowers or any other small plants. Gorgeous!

12. Food Storage

This one is super simple, but make sure your bottle is clean and bone dry first!

Source: Amazing Interior Design

13. Garage Storage

We all have bits and pieces lying around in the garage, why not use your old plastic bottles to tidy things up a little?

Source: Best of DIY Ideas

14. Flower Paint Stamp

Another great rainy day activity for the kids! Pretty self-explanatory, simple and fun.

15. Animal Planters

How cute are these? Perfect for brightening up any room! Instructions available from GoodHousekeeping.

Source: GoodHousekeeping

16. Cup-and-ball

This game never gets old! It might not take long for the kids to make these, but they'll get plenty of playtime afterwards. You can find instructions and some great designs for this game here.

This one might take some time but will keep your furry friend busy for hours! You can find a video and instructions at GoodsHomeDesign.

18. Watering Can

This one takes minutes to make and is fun to get the kids involved in the gardening.

19. Sprinkler

This is a great Summer DIY for watering the grass, or just for the kids or dogs to enjoy splashing around!

This is great for gardening and easy to make! Check out this video tutorial.

These little guys are a great feature for your garden and aren't that difficult to do! Check it out at WonderfulDIY.

22. Cat Toy

This is quick and easy to make and will keep your cat busy all day! Cut some holes in a bottle, pop some treats in and let your cat bat it around until they fall out.

23. Coloured Lights

You can do this with whole bottles or just the bottoms, you can use coloured bottles or paint them yourself. Make it your own!

24. Cookie in a Bottle

Why not recreate this classic cookie (or brownie!) in a jar, but with an environmentally conscious plastic bottle, rather than glass? You can still add some paper and ribbon to decorate the top. As with the dried foods storage, make sure the bottle is clean and totally dry! Damp flour in a bottle is never good.

25. Beach Bucket

This one takes seconds, so you've got more time to pack your picnic and beach towels!

Cut your big detergent bottle below the handle. You can also glue the lid on to keep the bucket sealed.

26. Bowling

So this one requires 10 bottles, but the game is easy to make and you just need some felt (or marker pens) to number the bottles and any small ball you have lying around. Enjoy!

27. Water Filter

Did you know you could make a water filter out of a simple water bottle? Possibly only needed in emergency situations or when camping, but it's good to know how to do this! Check out this video.

28. Bin

This is an impressive activity and is a great way to avoid purchasing more plastic in the form of a bin. You can see more photos and instructions here.

29. Vase

A plastic bottle vase is something you can get creative with. You can use wool, paint or felt. Creative your own designs, these vases make a perfect gift!

30. Greenhouse

For this one you'll need a lot of time and a lot of bottles! You've got to admit, these greenhouses are pretty impressive.

31. Broom

Why buy a broom when you can make one with a 2 litre bottle?

32. Plastic Bag Dispenser

Reusing plastic bottles to store the plastic bags you will later reuse? Genius!

33. Lid Lamp

Fancy making this awesome lid lamp? Check out this video.

34. Smiley Face Succulent

How adorable!? All you need is a pop bottle, some paint and some stick on eyes. And, of course, a plant of your choice. These little guys make awesome homemade gifts!

35. Green Wall

This is a great project for schools! Gets the kids involved in gardening and serves as a lesson in reusing and recycling. Perfect project for a sunny day.

36. Rain Gauge

Another fun lessons for the kids. Measuring rainfall is the best way to make the most of bad weather!

Source: the imagination tree

37. Jetpack

This is an awesome costume for any party, and is surprisingly easy to make! Check out these instructions from themomcreative.

Source: themomcreative

38. Solar Water Bulb

55 watts of light, free of charge? Sounds too good to be true! Check out this handy hack.

39. Plastic Bottle Chandelier

If you have a spare £450, you could purchase an eco chandelier from etsy... or you could start collecting bottles and make it your next project!

40. Bottle Cap Mosaic

How many bottles do you have lying around the house? If it's 30,000 - you're in luck! You can recreate this gorgeous mosaic by Russian pensioner Olga Kostina.

41. Christmas Tree

This miniature decoration would be a great addition to any office desk! You can follow step by step images here.

Source: stranamasterov

42. Lake Boat

Okay, so this one might be a bit unachievable for most of us, but possibly the most impressive use of plastic bottles so far!

43. Flower Charms

These charms are perfect for personalising wine glasses at a party or adding to a napkin ring. Follow these image instructions here.

44. Keyring

These pretty flower keyrings are a great way to reuse old bottles and a perfect gift! They're not too difficult to make, check out the instructions here.

Source: DIY Enthusiasts

45. Bottle Light

Another bright idea here! How cool do these light fittings look?

Bottle cap lip balms are such a cool idea! Pretty simple to make and you can fill it with vaseline, coconut oil or mix either with an old lipstick to make a tinted balm.

Source: Wikihow

47. Utensil Holder

Plastic bottles are great for holding just about anything - pencils, buttons, and even kitchen utensils! Find somewhere to hang/stand the bottle to keep utensils to hand.

48. Magazine Holder

How funky does this look? This would make a great modern feature in your office or living room!

49. Music Shakers

Another great one for primary school teachers! Use sticky back contact paper or duct tape to prevent the bottles from splitting.

Source: Let's Play Music

50. Woven Basket

Turning your waste bottles into a waste paper basket? Genius!

Source: Architecture Art Designs

51. Yarn Holders

Now this is clever! This hack will keep all of your wool separate and easy to access.

52. Christmas Tree Decorations

So easy to add a personal, homemade touch to your tree for Christmas.

Source: icreativeideas

53. Dog Toy

These dog toys are made by placing a plastic bottle into an old canvas bag and sewing it shut. You can even add some stuffing and a squeaker!

54. Pencil Pots

These awesome guys are made from shampoo bottles. Add some paint and googly eyes and you've got perfect desktop pencil pots!

55. Pet Feeder

This innovative pet feeder is perfect for your furry friend!

Source: thebetterindia

56. Zero Electricity Cooler

This incredible innovation cools a room without electricity. You can make your own with a perforated board and plastic bottles. Place at an open window and feel the room cool down!

57. Snack Bowls

This is a genius hack for your next party. Little snack bowls that look so much cooler than a regular white china bowl!

Source: followgreenliving

58. DIY Ottoman

Yes, you read that right. An ottoman made from plastic bottles!

Source: howtoinstructions

59. Woven Baskets

Perfect for Easter time, these baskets are easy to make and look fantastic! You need a plastic bottle, some scissors and some wool - easy peasy.

60. Gift Box

This box would be perfect for a small gift or some homemade treats! Learn how to make this impressive wrapping here.

Now we know not all of these ideas are for everyone (especially if you're not a crafty soul!) but hopefully we've inspired to you give one or two of these ideas a try (or switch to a reusable water bottle!). Every bottle that gets reused is another bottle that avoids the nasty fate of ending up in our oceans.

Know someone who'd love to give one of these ideas a go? Share the post with them and together we can reduce the number of plastic bottles that are harming our beautiful planet.

Disclaimer: If you're attempting any of these ideas that requires the use of scissors, knives or other sharp tools please be careful! Also use your common sense or the help of a professional when implementing any electrical related ideas. Children should always be supervised by a parent or guardian.

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"There is no away, when we throw anything away it must go somewhere" - Annie Leonard We live in a world where many of our everyday items are disposable. From cutlery to carrier bags, we throw away a lot of items that are harmful to the environment if not recycled properly.

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30 Crafts and Activities Using Upcycled Materials

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30 Crafts and Activities Using Upcycled Materials

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Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22), though there really is never a bad time to celebrate Mother Earth. It's important to teach students the environmental benefits of recycling, like conserving energy and natural resources and reducing air and water pollution, all year long. While recycling breaks down old items in order to create something new, upcyling makes something new from an existing object in its current state. Challenge your students to create something unique and wonderful from preexisting items like magazines, plastic water bottles, tin cans, egg cartons, and more. Check out our list of the best upcycled crafts for Earth Day or any day, and give some of them a try!

1. Make wildflower seed bombs.

Give back to Mother Earth with these easy-to-make seed bombs. Blend together used scraps of construction paper, water, and wildflower seeds in a food processor, then form them into tiny muffins. Let them dry, then toss them in the ground. As the seed bombs receive sun and rain, the paper will eventually compost and the seeds will germinate.

2. Create nature wreaths.

Take your kids on a nature walk to gather interesting leaves, flowers, berries, etc. To make the wreath forms, braid together strips of old T-shirts and form them into a circle. Then attach natural items into the crevices and secure with clear fishing line or hot glue. Attach a ribbon at the top to hang your wreath.

3. Construct a bug hotel.

Create a cozy place for all the creepy-crawlies to hang out. Cut a two-liter plastic bottle into two cylinders, then stuff it with sticks, pine cones, bark, or any other natural material. Make sure to pack the organic material tightly. Then loop a piece of twine or yarn around the two cylinders and hang your bug hotel from a tree branch or fence.

Learn more: Red Ted Art

4. Make a quilt.

Textiles make up a huge portion of municipal solid waste- over 16 million tons per year. Teach your kids to repurpose old material that would otherwise end up in the landfill by putting together a cozy quilt.

Learn more: Teach Student Savvy

5. Use magazines to create a bowl.

We love Earth Day crafts that result in a practical object you can use around the house. This project is best for older students who have the patience and dexterity necessary to carefully roll their magazine strips and glue them together.

Learn more: DIY Joy

6. Create Earth moss balls.

Pay tribute to our lovely planet on Earth Day with these fuzzy moss balls. Kids who love getting their hands dirty will particularly love this craft. All you do is squish pre-soaked sphagnum moss into a tight ball, wrap it tightly with blue yarn or strips of discarded T-shirts, layer more moss and more yarn, etc., until you've created an Earth-shaped orb. Finish with a loop of yarn and hang it in a sunny window. To keep your moss ball healthy, simply spray it with water every couple of days.

Learn more: Mother Natured

7. Create a hanging garden.

Large plastic bottles become beautiful hanging planters in this green-living and green-thumb project. A great way to make a gorgeous hanging garden.

8. Upcycle trash into flower art.

Scraps of paper are the only supplies you need for this recycled-flower-garden activity and lesson. The measurement and math element is an added bonus.

9. "Grow" an egg carton tree.

Save those egg cartons! This simple project only requires a few supplies to make a recycled egg carton tree.

Learn more: Glued to My Crafts

10. Create binoculars using paper towel rolls.

Save those paper rolls so your class can customize their own binoculars! Have a variety of paints, stickers, etc., on hand so your students can really personalize their bird watchers!

Learn more: Today's Parent

11. Create your own flexible seating.

One of our favorite Earth Day crafts has to be upcycling tires into comfy seating for our reading nook.

Learn more: Hanging With Mrs. Hulsey

12. Fashion a pop-top bracelet.

Aluminum beverage pop tops become wearable jewelry thanks to some ribbon ninja work. Put this video onto your interactive whiteboard to give your students the full 411, and then get crafting!

13. Chime the wind.

Go outside for a nature walk and gather sticks, weeds, and pickable blooms, then bring the treasures inside to be showcased in recycled jar lids. With some wax paper and string, your students can craft this surprisingly beautiful recycled wind chime.

Learn more: Hands On as We Grow

14. Paint paper bags.

Brown paper bags become eco-canvases for artwork and a perfect way to adorn fridges for Earth Day. Bonus points if you can source handled bags, because the handles serve as built-in artwork hangers.

Learn more: Small for Big

15. Make a recycled city.

Create an adorable village using little more than paper rolls, paper, scissors, paint, glue or tape, and your imagination!

Learn more: Today's Parent

16. Create pebble art.

Take students outside to collect small rocks and pebbles. Have them arrange the rocks into a creative pattern of their choice. Get creative, and try for as many different designs as you can! Once you're finished, simply leave the rocks where you found them.

17. Use old crayons to make new ones.

This isn't just any recycled crayon. It's a gorgeous Earth crayon! You can make these with your kids using a muffin tin. You just need to sort out the right colors.

Learn more: The Gunny Sack

18. Use upcycled objects to make mazes.

STEM and recycling go together wonderfully! This idea is a great way to challenge kids to make mazes or something else entirely.

Learn more: Hello, Wonderful

19. Make a rope snake.

Recycling projects that use objects you may have laying around your garage or shed are some of our favorites! Grab that old rope you've been saving and create these adorable rope worms/snakes with your students.

Learn more: Make Film Play

20. Feed the birds.

Herald spring with this easy crowd-pleaser: the large plastic bottle bird feeder. This short video will teach kids how to get started constructing their feeders.

21. Get organized with old cans.

Tin cans are easy to get your hands on, and they can go a long way in organizing supplies. Get your kids involved by having them help decorate the cans. They'll really take ownership of this, which will hopefully help them want to keep supplies more organized.

Learn more: Sandy Toes and Popsicles

22. Make papier-mâché pots.

Cut off the bottoms of beverage bottles or reuse food containers and jazz them up with bright-colored paper scraps. Except for the glue, these papier-mâché planters are composed solely of recycled materials.

Learn more: Childhood 101

23. Make a necklace out of junk.

Earth Day art that is wearable is a bonus! Use found objects or some string to create these unique necklaces.

Learn more: The Awesome Childhood Project

24. Make chair fidgets out of old tees.

Give old T-shirts new life with this craft by making chair fidgets. This uses a simple braiding technique, and your kids will love helping out.

25. Collaborate on an aluminum can recycling bin.

Kids can work together to create an aluminum-can recycling center. Watch the video above to get the simple instructions and learn how your school can make recycling fun and rewarding.

26. Create tin can robots.

Recycling projects like these are the best since kids love robots. Be sure to have an extra pair of adult hands around to help with the hot glue.

Learn more: Creative Jewish Mom

27. Fashion fairy houses.

Are these the sweetest Earth Day crafts ever? Plastic bottles from home become homes for fairies, thanks to paint, scissors, glue, and real or faux greenery.

Learn more: Crafts by Amanda

28. Create a giant upcycled art wall.

This is an amazing recycled wall masterpiece. You could set it up on a cardboard backing and then let students add to it, paint it, and create with it whenever they have free time throughout the day.

Learn more: Art Bar Blog

29. Make your own games.

Use bottle caps in a game of tic-tac-toe. They can also be turned into checkers. This would be a great makerspace activity. Give your kids several upcycled items and challenge them to create games!

Source: Reuse Grow Enjoy

30. Make a treasure magnet.

These treasure magnets are just so beautiful! Recycle a bottle cap and glue a variety of gemstones and beads inside. Finally, add a magnet to the back.

Learn more: Hattifant

31. Turn old magazines into art.

We love how this upcycled magazine cut-paper art project can be modified for primary students or used to inspire sophisticated art by high school students.

Learn more: Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom

32. Build beautiful terrariums.

A bottle gets a second life as a museum-worthy terrarium as well as a home for an environmental science project. Be sure to add the activated charcoal and moss for plastic bottle terrariums that flourish.

Learn more: Adirondack Girl at Heart

33. Paint with corks.

This is the perfect kind of Earth Day art since you use recycled material (corks) to paint your favorite scene from nature.

Learn more: 30 Seconds

34. Set up a self-watering planter.

Your classroom studies of plant life, photosynthesis, and water conservation will get a boost with this hands-on crafting of a self-watering planter. The base? A good ol' large plastic bottle.

Learn more: ehow

35. Form flowers from water bottles.

Upcycled water bottle flowers are an easy craft that can be sourced directly from your recycling bin, with the help of some paint.

36. Build cardboard castles.

Gather all your recyclables and put those tiny engineers to work. You'll be amazed by what they create!

Learn more: Fun-a-Day

37. Make these newspaper owls.

Old newspapers find their spirit animal when they become recycled newspaper owls. All you need are markers, watercolors, and paper scraps to make them come alive.

Learn more: I Heart Crafty Things

38. Construct a plastic bottle recycling bin.

Water bottles come together, as do your kids, to make this water bottle recycling center. This project combines teamwork with respect for our environment, a double win.

39. Create genius ideas out of cardboard.

Cardboard is one of the easiest, least expensive materials you can get your hands on. Grab a ton of it and challenge your kids to make awesome creations. You never know what they might come up with.

40. Make an instrument.

There are no limits to the recycling projects you can create using paper rolls. We especially love that this DIY instrument will teach kids about vibrations and sound.

Learn more: No Time for Flash Cards

41. Create a spinning top.

Do you have a bunch of CDs lying around that never get played anymore? How about a box or drawer of markers that barely write? If you answered yes to these questions, then this is the perfect project for you.

Learn more: Artsy Momma

42. Fashion lady bugs from bottle caps.

These little ladybugs are so cute and yet so, so simple. Grab some bottle caps, paint, googly eyes, and glue and get ready to make some adorable friends!

Learn more: Love and Lollipops

What are your favorite Earth Day crafts? Share in the comments below!

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42 Earth Day Crafts and Classroom Activities That Use Recycled Materials

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Raid your recycling bins for supplies and then try one of these eco-savvy Earth Day crafts that is sure to be a hit with students.

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Article discussing various companies and groups doing amazing work to help support a clean environment.

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An Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators

In response to the climate crisis and the global pandemic, Elin is working with Drs. Sarah J. Ray and Jennifer Atkinson and an international network of experts to co-create an Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Teen Conservation Leaders Social Media Track

Gen Z is now the largest demographic in the world. Youth across the planet rank climate change and the destruction of nature as the most critical issue according to the World Economic Forum and other global surveys. Elin partnered with a diverse group of Gen Z's in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Teen Conservation Leaders program to co-create a new model for social media engagement that increases the Aquarium's reach through youth empowerment. See more.

Beyond Doom and Gloom online exhibit

People working with environmental issues experience high rates of burnout, hopelessness and emotional distress. Yet unlike oncologists or emergency workers, environmental scientists or educators often don't recognize that they work in an emotionally high-risk profession with a need for self-care protocols. Elin curated this online exhibit with the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society to illuminate this issue.

Climate Interpreter

Elin led an empowerment evaluation for more than 40 aquariums across North America involved in communicating climate change and the oceans. This highly collaborative program evolved into thriving network s for climate change communication and ocean conservation.

Ecologists should learn to look on the bright side.

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#OceanOptimism & the psychology of powerlessness and hope

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Hope & The Environment - Elin Kelsey & Co.

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Gen Z is now the largest demographic in the world. Youth across the planet rank climate change and the destruction of nature as the most critical issue according to the World Economic Forum and other global surveys.

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Participate in this challenge via the GooseChase app. There will be a new mission each day and to complete each mission, you take a picture for your response. Individual or team game! Begins March 29th and ends on April 30th.

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All the activities from the GooseChase app but made into Seesaw lessons - King County Green Schools

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Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elovitz Marshall

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Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elovitz Marshall

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Encourage your kids to learn about recycling, conservation, and our environment with these 15 hands-on Earth Day STEM activities!

Earth Day is a great time to reflect on different ways that we can help the environment. You probably already do a few things to conserve - like turning off lights when you leave the room and not leaving the faucet running when you brush your teeth. Or maybe your family has weekly recycling pick up (or a stack of boxes in the garage that we need to drop off, eh hem...).

Many of us grew up making small efforts to conserve, and now we can pass those good habits on to our kids - just by continuing to model these behaviors.

Earth Day STEM Activities

It is so important for us to ensure that we are teaching our kids about protecting the environment and that they can contribute, even at a young age! We can encourage environmental investigations into recycling, pollution, conservation, and energy through hands-on activities.

The following are our favorite Earth Day STEM activities that are perfect for April - or anytime you want to learn about the earth!

1. What is a Carbon Footprint?

2. Backyard Biodiversity

Earth Day STEM Activities with Electricity!

3. Potato Battery

from Steam Powered Family. This is a great time to learn all about electricity. Start with creating circuits from the foods we eat by engineering this cool potato battery!

4. Dirt Circuit

5. The World of Fractions

7. Solar Power Earth Day STEM Activities

6. Earth Balloon Experiment

Earth Day STEM Activities with Recycled Materials!

8. Engineer a Bridge out of Recycled Materials

9. Make Recycled Paper

10. Recycled Materials Challenge

11. DIY Recycled Robot

12. Grow Your Own Seedlings
For more activities, don't miss our introduction to plants unit !
13. Shrinking Plastic Experiment

14. Earth Day STEM Activities about Pollution

15. Printable Earth Day STEM Activities

Where to go next...

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Earth Day STEM Activities: 15 FUN, Hands-on Ideas!

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Encourage your kids to learn about recycling, conservation, and our environment with these 15 hands-on Earth Day STEM activities!

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Suggested to be done with parent support

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30 Days of Reconnection - Biomimicry Institute

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In the spirit of reconnecting with the natural world that surrounds us, (and as we are home, looking for more things to do other than binge-watch Netflix), our team has put together some of our most favorite biomimicry activities to share with our wonderful community.Through these activities, we hope to give you a greater sense of our Biomimicry Ethos and to learn how to tap into nature's wisdom.

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The Earth Gives More Read Aloud with author Sue Fliess

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YouTube channel with more information in multiple videos.

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Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Vocabulary

air pollution [ air p uh- loo-sh uhn ] (noun) dirt in the air that we breathe

inequality [ in-i- kwol-i-tee ] (noun) unfairness; a situation in which some people have privileges that others don't have

minority [ mi- nor-i-tee ] ( noun) a group of people who differ-in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, etc.-from a larger group of which it is a part

Procedure

1. This lesson is about air pollution. As a class, answer these questions: What is air pollution? ( Write answers on the board or chart paper.) What are some causes of air pollution? What are some effects of air pollution?

2. This lesson is also about the people who are most likely to be affected by air pollution. Who do you think are some groups of people who are affected most by air pollution? ( List answers. Prompt students if necessary, pointing out that pollution can be especially harmful for people with asthma, elderly people, etc.)

3. Sometimes people are affected for reasons besides their physical health. People who don't have much money often live near places that produce air pollution-like factories and power plants. People who have more money often live farther away from those places. Why do you think that is? If you need some guidance, answer these questions in order: What makes a place a good place to live? Who has enough money to live in places like that? Are places with a lot of air pollution good places to live? Why or why not? Who has enough money to live there?

4. So how much money people have affects whether they live near places that pollute the air. Let's look at other groups that might be more affected by air pollution. Look at the map Air Pollution in Minority Areas. This is a map of the state of Connecticut. It shows two different things. It shows the parts of the state where lots of members of minority groups live, and it also shows where power plants that pollute the air are located.

a. Look at the key. The key is at the bottom of the map. It tells you what the different colors on the map mean. First, there are yellow dots. It says in the key that the yellow dots show where power plants are. Power plants make electricity for homes and businesses to use. They need to burn coal, gas or oil to make the electricity. When they burn these fuels, the power plants pollute the air.

b. There are also parts of the map that are different shades of blue. The key tells you what the different colors stand for. In the areas that are the darkest blue, most of the people are members of minority groups. The second darkest shade of blue shows areas where more than half the people are members of minority groups. As the shades of blue get lighter, there are fewer minority people living there. In other words, the lighter the blue, the fewer minority residents.

c. Now put together the two kinds of information on the map: The yellow dots and the shades of blue. Where are the yellow dots? What do the yellow dots tell you? What shades of blue are there? What does that tell you?

d. What pattern do you see? In what shade(s) of blue do you see the most yellow dots?

e. Sum up what you've seen on the map by completing this prompt: There are more power plants located in areas where people who are __________ and people who are _______ live. Have a volunteer read the completed sentence aloud.

5. Have a class discussion to answer this question: Do you think it's fair that people who are poor and people who are members of minority groups live in areas where there is more pollution? Why do you think they stay in those areas? What makes it hard for them to move to a place with less pollution? What would you suggest as a way to make the situation fairer?

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air pollution [ air p uh- loo-sh uhn ] (noun) dirt in the air that we breathe inequality [ in-i- kwol-i-tee ] (noun) unfairness; a situation in which some people have privileges that others don't have minority [ mi- nor-i-tee ] ( noun) a group of people who differ-in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, etc.-from a larger group of which it is a part 1.

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After discussing context resources on environmental justice
and environmental protection, students can create window art to share with their neighbors.

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Environmental Justice...What Does That Mean?

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Environmental Justice...What Does That Mean?

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Kids Environment Kids Health - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice ..... What does that mean?

"Environmental Justice" is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

But what does that really mean? Let's break it down and see:

The environment refers to everything around you. It is your home, your, school, and where you play. And if you have a job, it's also refers to where you work. It includes your friends' and grandparents' homes, and any other places that you visit. It includes the lake where you might swim or fish, the places where your food is grown or prepared, and even the places your drinking water travels through on its way to your home.

Justice means fair treatment-fair treatment for everyone!

So Environmental Justice is a new term that simply means making sure that everyone has a fair chance of living the healthiest life possible.

The opportunity to have a healthy life often depends on where someone lives, plays, and works-yes, it depends on their environment! So it is important that ALL environments are free of unhealthy materials. Unhealthy materials can cause illness and sometimes even death. So Environmental Justice specifically refers to being sure that everyone has a fair chance of finding housing, employment, and a good education, all in a safe and protected environment.

Where are these unhealthy environments?

They can be anywhere where steps have not been taken to remove the dangers. For example, some homes are unhealthy environments. There are people who still have to live in places with dangerous levels of lead. Many years ago, lead was used in paint, and more recently lead was used in gasoline products. So in some places it might still be present in the old paint used on the walls or even on old painted furniture. Lead can make children sick and interfere with their ability to learn.

Another unhealthy environment would be homes or schools where there are certain insects, such as roaches, or other animals (mice, rats, etc.) that may leave droppings. Animal droppings can increase asthma attacks in persons who already have asthma, and they can actually cause asthma in others. Visit our " Dust Game" (produced by the Baylor College of Medicine under a grant from NIEHS) to learn more about this.

Another unhealthy environment could be a playground that is near a chemical plant or a waste disposal site, or land that was previously the site of a gas station. If you play near such areas you may come in contact with hazardous substances that are still stored in the area, or that have seeped into the soil or water. Or you could be exposed to toxic (poisonous) gases released in the air from local plants or factories, large and small. And you've probably heard of the dangers of chemical spills, or of chemical wastes being improperly dumped in an area, exposing the people who live nearby and contaminating our water sources.

Employees of companies dealing with unhealthy materials are also at risk, since there are many things in the workplace that are hazardous to human health. For example, the people who work in chemical factories must be protected from exposures to the chemicals they produce or handle. And people who work in coal mines have to be protected from inhaling "soot," which causes black lung disease.

Even farming can involve exposure to environmental contaminants, such as insecticides or fertilizers. And animal production facilities (like poultry or hog farms) can adversely affect our environment if not managed properly.

Work in seemingly health-conscious environments, like hospitals, may place employees at risk too. For example, although X-rays are important tools for helping people identify their illnesses ( learn more about X-rays), people who work with X-rays may be harmed if they are not protected when using these machines. They either step behind a shield or wear protective coverings to prevent exposures. Have you ever been to the dentist and had your teeth X-rayed? Then probably you remember that they put a heavy apron over your body during the process. The apron was there to protect you from any unnecessary exposure to the X-rays.

So what can be done about this?

The fact is that many racial and ethnic minorities and poor people have to live, work and play in environments that cause them to be sick. Because they do not have the ability to move to other areas or change jobs, they often remain exposed to harmful materials for long periods of time, and suffer from a variety of illnesses.

This isn't fair, is it? I'm sure you agree that everyone should feel safe where they live, play, go to school, and work! Since something obviously needed to be done, as early as the 1970's an Environmental Justice movement was begun. Many community organizers and many people who were sick due to unhealthy environments, led efforts to bring attention to the fact that some people were sharing an unequal portion of illness because of where they lived, worked and played. But even with those efforts, little could be accomplished since there were no existing laws that addressed Environmental Justice issues. In 1994, in response to the continuing cries of protesters and demonstrators, President Clinton signed an Executive Order that directed the federal government to address the environmental health threats caused by people having to live, play and work in unhealthy environments.

There is a federal agency called the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, that is dedicated to doing much of the research to identify environmental agents that cause illnesses and death.

The information developed by NIEHS laboratories and NIEHS-supported research laboratories around the country is then used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop laws that will help promote healthy environments. Many people think that NIEHS and EPA are the same organization, but they are not. Both are involved with the "environment", but they have very different missions-in general, it is the responsibility of the EPA to make and enforce laws that promote healthy environments. To do this properly, NIEHS and other similar research organizations must first identify appropriate environmental concerns.

With words and music!

What's That Word

Scientific Dictionary

Not sure of what a word means?

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Environmental Justice "Environmental Justice" is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. But what does that really mean? Let's break it down and see: The environment refers to everything around you.

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WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS | Indigenous Peoples' Day | Read Aloud | Preschool | Story | Native American

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How to Help the Earth by The Lorax with Tish Rabe

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How to Help the Earth by The Lorax with Tish Rabe

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HOW TO HELP THE EARTH BY THE LORAX by Tish Rabe-Earth Day Book - Children's books - Read aloud

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How big is your carbon footprint?

Before thinking about efficient ways to reduce our impact on the planet, we need to know exactly how much our different behaviors impact our carbon footprint.

Our International Student Footprint Calculator will allow you to do just that! The questionnaire is divided into four parts: home energy and appliances, food, personal purchases and transportation.

Answer the questions as honestly as possible and keep an eye on your amount of CO ₂ release per year at the bottom of the screen as you continue. You may be alarmed at times by the results!

When you are ready to start your footprint calculation, choose one of the options below:

(Oct 11, 2017) A brand new version of the calculator, now with an option for a basic or advanced calculation, improved mobile compatibility, additional question options (including solar panels and electric vehicles) and updated data is now available! As of September 2016, students from registered classes can choose their school!

We offer - and strongly suggest that you use - the ability to register at the site, so that your data will be automatically saved as you progress. That way you can complete the calculator questionnaire in more than one sitting, and return anytime to explore all of the features of the calculator and to update your footprint calculation based on lifestyle changes.

If you should encounter any problem with the new calculator, please email Jason Hodin (larvador[at]uw.edu) and he will try to help.

Once you start the questions, keep in mind that it can take 25-30 minutes or more for English-proficient students to complete the Advanced version (50 minutes for those for whom English is a second language). The new Basic version (launched Oct 2017) is about 2/3 as long as the Advanced version.

We suggest that students fill out this (Calculator Prep Worksheet in advance, it will make the online calculation faster and more accurate. DOC format or PDF format)

You may wish to download our class assignment to reflect on what you discover as you use the calculator.

(updated Apr 2020) You may also wish to download this pictorial key to the features of our calculator (or this one for our mobile/tablet version).

(NEW Aug 2016) Teachers and students may wish to download this source document with all of the sources and assumptions available in a single pdf file for all questions in the calculator. Note that all sources/assumptions are also available on demand during the calculations when you press the documentation button, which looks like this:

As of March 2013, a German language version of the calculator is available! (Flash only - no mobile version yet).

Privacy policy: we will never share any personal information derived from footprint calculations or any other I2SEA effort with any third party. We further suggest that students register using their first name and last initial, especially on the discussion platform. We utilize anonymous footprint data for educational purposes only - students will never be personally identified by their footprint data to anyone except the student themselves.

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How big is your carbon footprint? Before thinking about efficient ways to reduce our impact on the planet, we need to know exactly how much our different behaviors impact our carbon footprint. Our International Student Footprint Calculator will allow you to do just that!

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Recommended for grades 3-5

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Leading climate activists gathered at the United Nations (U.N.) Youth Climate Summit, in New York City, on September 21. Of about one thousand attendees, 42 were under the age of 18. They were invited to the summit after being nominated…

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Story Time with Miss Gray - Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker

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The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

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The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

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Audiobook of The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge

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Secret Mission to Save Food, Money, and the Planet

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Secret Mission to Save Food, Money, and the Planet

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Great suggestion for families to do at home together!

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Scraps to Snacks: A Cookbook For Kids by Kids to Reduce, Reuse, and Re-eat by LightsabersPhoenix Squadron Kids

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Scraps to Snacks: A Cookbook For Kids by Kids to Reduce, Reuse, and Re-eat by LightsabersPhoenix Squadron Kids

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Free to download!

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scraps to snacks: a cookbook for kids by kids to reduce

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juvenile nonfiction / recycling & green living

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Scraps to Snacks: A Cookbook for Kids by Kids to Reduce, Reuse, and Re-Eat

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Scraps to Snacks: A Cookbook for Kids by Kids to Reduce, Reuse, and Re-Eat - Kindle edition by Lightsabers Phoenix Squadron Kids. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Scraps to Snacks: A Cookbook for Kids by Kids to Reduce, Reuse, and Re-Eat.

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Don't Waste Your Food (Good to Be Green) by Deborah Chancellor

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Don't Waste Your Food (Good to Be Green) by Deborah Chancellor

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don't waste your food (good to be green)

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explanatory writing; narrative writing; includes color illustrations; includes index; includes bolded keywords; includes glossary; includes websites; includes captions; description (text structure); sequence (text structure); environment; human impact on the environment; environmental conservation and protection; supports independent reading; supports science teacher; supports social studies teacher; cooking & food; includes teacher’s guide

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informational /explanatory writing; narrative writing; includes color illustrations; includes index; includes bolded keywords; includes glossary; includes websites; includes captions; description (text structure); sequence (text structure); environment; human impact on the environment; environmental conservation and protection; supports independent reading; supports science teacher; supports social studies teacher; cooking & food; includes teacher’s guide

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juvenile nonfiction / recycling & green living

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental conservation & protection

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juvenile nonfiction / social topics / values & virtues

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juvenile nonfiction/recycling & green living

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - environmental conservation & protection

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science & nature - environmental conservation & protection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / recycling & green living

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental conservation & protection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / social topics / values & virtues

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juvenile nonfiction/recycling & green living

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - environmental conservation & protection

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Don't Waste Your Food (Good to Be Green)

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Don't Waste Your Food (Good to Be Green) [Chancellor, Deborah, Ewen, Diane] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Don't Waste Your Food (Good to Be Green)

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Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Romer

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Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Romer

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heroes of the environment: true stories of people who are helping to protect our planet (nature books for kids

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science & nature - environmental conservation & protection

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biography & autobiography - social activists

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juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / general

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental conservation & protection

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juvenile nonfiction/biography & autobiography - social activists

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science & nature - environmental conservation & protection

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biography & autobiography - social activists

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juvenile nonfiction / biography & autobiography / general

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental conservation & protection

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juvenile nonfiction/biography & autobiography - social activists

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Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet (Nature Books for Kids, Science for Kids, Envirnonmental Science for Kids)

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Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet (Nature Books for Kids, Science for Kids, Envirnonmental Science for Kids) [Rohmer, Harriet] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

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10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh

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10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh

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10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh

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-What Happens To My Recyclables?
-Be A Better Recycler
-The Story of Stuff
-Waste Land
-Garbage Island

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- WALL-E
-The Lorax
-Disneynature Earth
-Disneynature Oceans

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"Take a pledge. Student green teams, classrooms, or the entire school could sign a pledge to do one more action between April and June to reduce waste or recycle, conserve energy, or conserve water." - King County Green Schools

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Titles with recommended viewing options:

Forget Shorter Showers - Teachers only

Detox: How People Power is Cleaning Up Fashion - Teacher supervision

It's A Plastic World - Kid friendly, but teacher supervision suggested

Man vs. Earth - Kid friendly

The Story of Stuff - Grade 3-5 with teacher supervision