HISTORY OF EARTH DAY!
- The first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States in 1970 and was spearheaded by Wisconsin Governor Gaylord Nelson and Harvard University student Denis Hayes.
- Apparently Nelson selected April 22nd as Earth Day, feeling that this was the best date to maximize participation since the day did not fall during school exams or school or religious holidays.
- The first Earth Day celebration involved 20 million participants taking part in teach-ins focusing on environmental pollution.
- Two million Canadians joined the Earth Day movement for the first time in 1990.
- Today over 6 million Canadians take part in Earth Day events.
- Earth Day is now celebrated in over 180 countries, by over 500 million people around the world.
- The term "ecology" comes from a Greek word meaning "house, dwelling place or habitation".
- In 2004 Earth Day Canada was recognized as the top environmental education organization in North America for its innovative year-round educational resources and programs.
- The Earth Day Ecology Flag was created in 1969 by cartoonist Ron Cobb. The symbol is a combination of the letters "E" and "O" representing "environment" and "organism". The yellow theta symbol is considered a symbol of peace and is now generally associated with Earth Day.
EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES!
Earth Day Canada lists their Top 10 Actions to Help the Environment:
- Park It: Leave your car at home for the day and try walking or biking!
- Shut Down: Turn off the lights, your computer and the TV when they aren't in use!
- Where's the Beef?: Try eating meat-free at least once a week. A meat-based diet requires seven times more land than a plant based diet.
- Eat It: Buy locally and in-season. Support your local farmers and avoid the environmental impact of shipping food hundreds of kilometres.
- Let It Rot: Use a composter in your backyard or use your green bin to reduce household waste.
- Don't Be Idle: Turn off your car's engine if stopped for more than 10 seconds.
- Keep Your Eye on the Temperature: Set your thermostat above room temperature in the summer and below room temperature in the winter.
- Bright Ideas: Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).
- Don't Dump It: The simple act of recycling has more impact on the environment than the average Canadian thinks.
- Tell Someone: Spread the word about what you're doing to make the world a better place and encourage them to get involved too!
Other activities you might want to consider:
- Spring cleaning makes perfect sense in April. Clean out your garage, closets and basements and host an Earth Day Yard Sale, donating the proceeds to your favourite eco-friendly organization.
- Get your classmates, your group members, your neighbours or your family members together for a community pick-up litter event. A great way to get together with friends and do something positive for the environment.
- Make a list of the number of simple, green initiatives you've taken part in during the course of the month. Everything from turning off lights, reducing your thermostat, packing a litterless lunch, and riding your bike to the corner store. Challenge your friends and see who has done the most to help the planet during April!
- Start a compost pile at your school (at at your home if you don't have one already)!
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