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How do you really celebrate Earth Day?

Posted on April 22, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. by Green Mama.

Today, Earth Day turns 38. (Not the Earth, but the day itself). One of my favorite parenting websites (okay, this website is like a frenemy — love to hate it and hate to love it.) Anyway, they didn’t even mention Earthday on their daily email, they mentioned the new really expensive stroller I should buy.

NPR is recommending, today, that we take transit or bike. I like that recommendation. Many of my favorite green stores are recommending you come in and buy something green—usually one of my favorite activities. The government has a long list of ways that kids can help save the Earth. Some of them even look like fun.

I think Earth Day has become like many kids' first birthday parties, something that comes from a place of love, but ends up being a little too commercial to feel like a true celebration.

So, what are some alternative ways to bring meaning back to the day? To really use it to celebrate our dependency upon, our love of, and our connection with the Earth.

I guess you could use today to do all those things you’ve been meaning to do all year to green your home life... like buy your household carbon credits for the year (note to self) or research the best water filter and finally fulfill your goal of giving up on all plastic water bottles (which, by the way, would be a GREAT green goal for everyone).

Or you can take transit instead of your car to your playdate or, even better, get your bike seat hooked onto your bicycle and take your kid there by peddling.

Or you can commit to buying NOTHING today. Though I am a fan of supporting our local, green products and stores, a great present for the Earth is to save the gas, the packaging, the transporting, the eventual recycling or disposing of the thing and simply buy nothing at all today.

And what about throwing an Earth Day party for everyone on your block and using nothing disposable? Use it as a chance to get to know your neighbors, to talk publicly about your green goals, to finally resolve your condo's recycling issue.

Maybe while you are out there partying you will pick up some of the garbage that has collected on the sidewalk, in the road, or in the park near your house. And then when you come home you can write a book with your kid about what you did together on Earth Day where you paste in leaves, and crumpled notes, and little bits of plastic bag that you found.

Comments (3):

Laurene commented, on May 15, 2008 at 10:47 a.m.:

I love mud pies manda, though I am not sure I want to eat a mud pie (unless of course it has real chocolate in it).

One of the best things that happened to me on earth day as I was getting on my kick scooter to go to work was the Red Eye sales guy wishing me Happy Earth Day. It made me think one of the most powerful things we can do on earth day is say it alot. "Happy earth day." Then maybe that will turn into "what are you doing for earth day?" the week before. And then maybe "what does your family do for earth day?" And then maybe...

Jill commented, on May 15, 2008 at 10:47 a.m.:

My older daughter convinced me to come home from work early on Earth Day. (Twist my arm.) She invited two of her friends to come over to do something good for the planet.

I have to say, I've been a little sour on Earth Day for the last decade or so. I've become convinced it was West Coasters that planned Earth Day on April 22nd. It's probably lovely then on the Pacific Coast, but in Chicago, the weather in Chicago is usually 46 degrees, windy and wet.

But kids make one appreciate so many things that you've been cynical about. My younger daughter and two neighbor kids cleaned up our street -- they were vying for each piece of trash as if it were a precious Easter egg hiding in the grass. And the three ten-year olds made fliers that said "Earth Day is Here, Here are Some Environmental Tips." They walked around and put the flyers through people's mail slots. (This is something my daughter seems driven to do; when she was little she used to make up recipes like "mix flour and water and cinnamon and bake at 600 degrees" and pass those around to the neighbors, too.)

Without their initiative, I would have done nothing different all day long.

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