3 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

This year, the world is celebrating a milestone—the 50th anniversary of this international day of environmental action. While we cannot gather together, leading environmental educators have come up with plenty of fun and easy ways to commit to environmentalism and celebrate Earth Day right at home.

1. Enjoy the flowers

Spring is among us so you’ll see many various blooming flowers, but wait! Don’t pick them! Flowers are important food for endangered pollinators like bees and butterflies and are a crucial link in the life cycle of any wildlife habitat, even that measly patch of grass in front of the corner store.

Reduce

Re·duce /rəˈd(y)o͞os/ verb

Definition: To make smaller or less in amount, degree or size.

Example: "The need for businesses to reduce costs."

To reduce means to use fewer products when possible. This can include avoiding single-use items like shopping bags and straws, or putting what you usually throw into the trash into a compost to be returned to the earth. If you have a bin and some extra space, you can easily start a compost that could double as a sustainable and cost-effective fertilizer for your garden.

1. Carry out your litter

Deposit trash in receptacles! Litter provides a fertile breeding ground in which bacteria thrive, harming the health of wildlife. Wildlife can also get tangled in or choke on plastic and other debris.

Reuse

Re·use /rēˈyo͞oz/ verb

Definition: To use again or more than once.

Example: "The tape could be magnetically erased and reused."

To reuse means to use the same item multiple times. This can include replacing single-use items like plastic water bottles with reusable water bottles as well as upcycling items like egg cartons, cereal bags, soda bottles, and wine corks by finding new uses for them. When you reuse, items last longer before becoming waste.

1. Create Projects surrounding Earth Day

Prospect Park Alliance has created plenty of Earth Day Projects you can take on with materials in your home or backyard! You can create your own garden using the ends of vegetables, seeds, and old food containers. You can even create your own paper made out of recycled materials. Get crafty!

Recycle

Re·cy·cle /rēˈsīk(ə)l/ verb

Definition: To convert (waste) into reusable material.

Example: "Car hulks were recycled into new steel."

To recycle means to use materials from something old to make something new. When you recycle, items are turned back into usable products and waste is avoided entirely! That’s what we’re talkin’ about!

Fun Fact!

Prospect Park is 585 acres of an amazing ecosystem of hundreds of species of plants and animals with over 30,000 trees, the only lake, and forest in all of Brooklyn. For more info on this New York City environmental treasure, head to prospectpark.org.