50 Years of Earth Day: 10 Fun Activities

This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. The connection that we have to nature, plants, and the land is integral to our health and all that we are. Earth Day reminds us to take care of our planet—whether it’s cleaning up litter, planting more trees, recycling and re-purposing, or going on a walk in a green space amidst the wildflowers.

Despite the current global situation, we can still celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day our own way! Most years, Earth Day events range from river cleanups to invasive removals. With social distancing in place for many of us this April, Earth Day has gone digital. Virtual events, like environmental lectures and films, will take place on Earth Day (Wednesday, April 22) instead. To see a catalog of official events, visit earthday.org.

HOW DID EARTH DAY BEGIN?

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Dealing with serious issues of toxic drinking water and air pollution, an impressive 20 million Americans—10% of the population—ventured outdoors and protested together. President Richard Nixon lead the nation in creating the Environmental Protection Agency which followed with laws including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Read more from EarthSky.org.

McConnell originally chose the spring equinox (March 21, 1970) and Nelson chose April 22, which ended up becoming the official celebration date. (Given that the date of the spring equinox changes over time, it could have made things more complicated to go with that date!)

Today, Earth Day is a time not only to demonstrate our support for environmental protections but it’s also become a popular day for many communities to gather together and clean up litter, plant trees, or simply reflect on the beauty of nature. We’ve provided a list of activities and projects that you can do to improve your local environment further down the page!

10 EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS

Celebrate Earth Day by appreciating and respecting the natural world. Here are some ideas to inspire you!

Support our native bees: The super-pollinators of the garden are … native bees! Learn more about these amazing heroes of pollination—and see how to make a native bee house (much like a bird house!). See how to make a bee-friendly garden habitat.
Recycle and repurpose! Gardening needn’t be expensive. See ideas on recycling and repurposing garden items to make something out of nothing—and save money! We also have ideas on how to reuse in the kitchen and in the home and re-purpose everyday household items!
Plant wildflowers! We’ll show you how to grow wildflowers in your garden for the pollinators—and to lift your spirits, too! Also, see our guide on choosing wildflower varieties which will thrive where you live.
Reduce plastic dependency: Plastic permeates every aspect of our lives, including the garden. But as the world wakes up to its addiction, just how easy is it to ditch plastic while growing and storing more of our own food? See our ideas on how to garden without plastic. Don’t forget to recycle what plastic you can. See a Plastics Recycling Chart. And also, know what’s in all those bottled drinks!
Go native! Plants thrive best when they’re natural to your area. See our article on native plant landscaping and 10 tips for an eco-friendly garden.
Bring nature into the garden with plants that attract butterflies and plants that attract hummingbirds!
Start an organic vegetable garden. Here are tips on organic seed-starting, and our Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening to get you started.
Conserve water! See our tips for watering wisely in the garden and tips on how to create your own rain garden. Also, avoid over-watering. Know how much your garden really needs with our watering chart! Watch our video demonstrating 10 smart watering tips for a healthy garden garden.
Plant more trees! Talk to your local government about planting more trees and native garden beds in public spaces, or consider planting your own on your property! See advice on how to plant a tree as well a our video demonstrating how to plant a fruit tree.
Get kids involved! Pass down a love of nature and plants with kids. See our ideas on gardening with kids and also 6 simple kids’ planting activities from the Kids Almanac!