Thinking about Earth Day 2024

It’s that time of year again!! Earth Day 2024 is just around the corner and it’s more important than ever to get involved in protecting our planet.

Earth Day is an annual event. This year it will be celebrated on April 22, 2024. What is your earliest memory of this special day? If this is your first Earth Day to get involved, that’s great too.

For me it was 1983 and I was teaching science in a K-6 grade private school. We decided to grow our own baby trees and plant them at the end of the school year.

We also made posters and took our sprouting seedlings out on parade to let the town know that we were seriously in love with our plan to help re-plant areas nearby that had been destroyed by wildfire, erosion and over logging. 

Another way we supported their growth was by using composted soil from our little school garden. I'm certain the baby trees knew they were adored because each one was fondly named by the student who planted it. When the time came to plant the seedlings out in the forest, the kids could hardly part with them.  Years later I remember getting updates on Greta and Sprouty, Riley and Shaggy. It was so heart warming. 

Kids are especially passionate about having a hand in cultivating and watching things grow, so it is a natural choice that has a huge impact on them and their environment.  

The goal of Earth Day is to inspire the world to take action to conserve the planet and its natural resources, address environmental issues such as climate change and promote the use of products that are sustainable.

This year we would like to inspire you to get involved on a local level. From tree planting, to cleaning up in local parks, beaches, and road sides, there are many ways to contribute. Supporting environmentally-friendly companies and products, reducing energy and water usage, and advocating for environmental policies are other ways to be invested in the health of our planet. Let's get started now! Thank you.