Let's Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day the Right Way!

The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day is a momentous milestone! To make this annual celebration even more unique, Earth Day is going digital! While we are instructed to stay home, there is truly no reason to feel bad about it. The silver-lining is that April 22, 2020 will probably be the most eco-friendly Earth Day this planet has ever seen! For the first time since the holiday's creation, there will be no mass gatherings, parades or events which means far less pollution and litter!

Instead, this year, we will have to stay put and work with what we have...which, when you think about it, is much more than what we need to celebrate! We have the Internet and the beauty of the nature that exists right in our very own backyards. There are so many activities to participate in to honor this day, we just have to get creative! I'm also here to tell you that you do not need to search far and wide for ideas either-- as an ecologist for Bethpage State Park (with a passion for art), I enjoyed putting together this list of ways to celebrate the planet for children, parents and people of all ages. Pick your favorite idea and roll with it in honor of Earth Day 2020!

 Arts and Crafts

•  Paint with Plants- collect all different leaves, flowers, and grasses. Make sure these items are of different sizes, shapes and colors!  If you can, try to identify the kind of plants you are picking as well as the birds or insects that benefit from them! Use these objects as stamps and stencils by dipping them into paint or tracing around them with colored pencils. If you are super proud and want to share a picture of your masterpiece post a comment with it under the link for this blogpost (on our Facebook page)!

• Draw a Black-capped Chickadee with David Sibley- Want to draw birds like a professional? Well David Sibley, the famous illustrator and author of Sibley Guide to Birds, will personally teach you! Start with the Black-capped Chickadee, a native bird to all our yards and also a frequent visitor of Bethpage State Park! 
• Click this Link for a Youtube Tutorial
• Click this Link for Written Instructions
• Want to draw another species? Challenge yourself by learning to draw owls next! Click this Link to Draw an Eastern Screech Owl

• Make an Earth Day Sign For Your Window- similar to the rainbows you may have drawn to send messages of hope and happiness from your home, do the same and make a big window sign for Earth Day! Decorate your sign with the nature themes you love most! Want some tips?

• Try drawing from real life - draw the bees and birds that you see flying by your house or take some time to study and draw some of the flowers that are in your yard blooming!
  

  

  The American Goldfinch (above) is a colorful bird you might want to draw. Adding Lupines and Bumble Bees (left) might also be a bright way to highlight pollinators on your Earth Day sign.
  
  

• Get even wilder - use your imagination and draw wildlife that live in other habitats, perhaps owls or polar bears! Tell the world you care about this particular animal and that they are definitely worth protecting.

• Prefer to include photographs ? - Try cutting out pictures from old magazines and calendars (hooray for reusing and recycling)! 

• Do you have a science hero ? Real or imaginary? Maybe you want to include them on your Earth Day sign! Take a look at my Dr. Seuss themed poster featuring my personal hero, The Lorax! Also included is my favorite quote from the book!

This sign is currently displayed in my home window! If you are unfamiliar with The Lorax, I recommend you read the book or see the movie. It has an incredible message for Earth Day.

• Don't forget a slogan! Maybe you want your sign to focus on taking action for example, building a backyard garden or using less plastic! Feel free to use these quotes:

• Earth Day is Everyday!
• Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
• Lets Create a World That is Clean and Green! 
• Save the Bees, Save the Trees... Be Kind to Nature Please!
• Stop and Smell the Flowers - Build a Garden!

Online Learning

• Learn About Bird Species 

• To celebrate urban birds near you Click this Cornell Lab of Ornithology Link! This site will help you identify multiple bird species. It is also a great resource to learn cool facts about your favorite bird's behavior, food, and migratory journey. 
• Have you ever wondered why birds sing or have fancy colored feathers? You can find the answers while playing Bird Academy computer games! Click this Link to Have Fun with Birds.

• Learn About the Elements of Nature- Different environmental organizations have posted wonderful learning videos just in time for Earth Day! Click this Nature Link to learn about food, the beauty of water and the role of soil with Nature Conservancy. If you want to specifically learn more about flowers make sure to spend some virtual time with the New York Botanical Gardens. Click this Flower Video Link.

Take Action

• Create a Vegetable Garden - Did you know you can take many of your favorite veggies straight from your dinner table and grow them in your yard or container garden? It is often as easy as cutting the end of a celery or carrot and placing it in some soil. As long as you buy organic vegetables, you should definitely think twice about the parts you throw away in the trash. Instead, plant those scraps! Click this Link to Make Food From Your Kitchen Multiply in Your Garden!

• Start Planning a Pollinator Habitat- A pollinator habitat is any space that encourages bees, moths, butterflies, even hummingbirds to feed. Visits from these animals allow for the transfer of pollen from one flower to another, helping plant species to multiply. To encourage this process all you have to do is start by planting native flora. We would know! We've done just this by building gardens in 5 different locations around Bethpage State Park. Feel free to scroll through our blog and get inspired by our gardening experiences. If you are unable to get outside to plant now, you can at least start researching ideas and garden designs Click this Planning Link. We also recommend using our Bethpage State Park Pollinator and Plant List as a resource to pick out your favorite native flowers to plant this summer.

This is our Picnic Polliantor Garden. You too can plan something similar in your own yard!

• Make a Recycled Bird Feeder - With very little supplies, you can welcome a variety of birds into your backyard! Click this Kid-Friendly Link to Make Simple Bird Feeders that will not only provide food for wildlife but also give new life to single-use household items. 

By taking part in Earth Day 2020...

you are sending one big positive message -- that in light of everything that is happening, you still choose to celebrate what is most important...life itself! I cannot think of a more beautiful way to honor the 50th anniversary of this holiday. What is even more extraordinary about this year's festivities is that it can be done 100% sustainably too. The founder and original supporters of this celebration would be so proud of us all. 

Just remember: Even though we may feel far from one another now, we can find strength in the unity of our shared values of love and appreciation for The Blue Marble we call home.

Happy Earth Day everyone!