Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22, 2020 and this year marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.

According to earthday.org, Earth Day began as a unified response to a series of environmental crises including oil spills, smog, and polluted rivers. The very first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans (10% of the U.S. population at the time)  “took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet.”

Today, Earth Day is a global movement to help protect and restore our planet.

With the current global COVID-19 pandemic, Earth Day looks a little different this year. However, you can still celebrate the Earth and do your part to protect our planet for future generations, both on Earth Day and every day.

Here are some ideas for how to celebrate Earth Day in 2020!

 

1. Find a Digital Earth Day Event

EarthDay.org is offering virtual Earth Day events from all over the world. Sign up to watch films, view presentations, or listen to lectures with topics that include gardening, climate change, citizen science, and more. Learn more about virtual Earth Day events. 

 

2. Try the DNREC Earth Day Scavenger Hunt

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is hosting a virtual scavenger hunt!

Check out the DNREC Facebook page day each day from April 16-24, 2020 for a fun question to answer and activity to do at home. When you answer the question OR post a picture of the completed activity, you will be eligible to win a prize. Answers can be found by searching DNREC’s website. Just look for clues in each post. The DNREC team will pick random winners each day. There are many different prizes available to win including FREE Delaware State Parks passes! Learn more about the DNREC Earth Day Scavenger Hunt.

3. Enjoy a Virtual #DailyDEstateparks Program

Dive into Delaware State Parks with educational content from the comfort of home every day! Daily posts include unique information about the 17 state parks and Brandywine Zoo, animals, history highlights, blog posts, scavenger hunts, videos, what goes on behind-the-scenes and more! Follow your favorite state park on Facebook, or search the hashtag #DailyDEstateparks. Learn more. 

 

4. Join Earth Challenge 2020

Earth Challenge 2020 is the world’s largest coordinated citizen science project. Through the Earth Challenge app, anyone with a smartphone can contribute to a global database of information on environmental issues such as air quality and plastic pollution. The app empowers people from all over the world to monitor and mitigate environmental issues in their own communities. Simply download the app and get started! Learn more about Earth Challenge 2020.

 

5. Help Save the Earth from Your Home

There are many easy lifestyle changes that you can make to help conserve the Earth for future generations. Check out these small things you can start today to make your home and your life a little greener. Learn more.

 

6. Make an Earth Day Craft

Get creative and celebrate the Earth with a  fun, nature-themed craft! We have some ideas for you to get started. Check out this blog post about how to create recycled stamps, make an insect hotel, or color a Delaware State Parks coloring book page!

 

7. Go Outside

Get outside and hike a trail, watch a sunset, or just breathe in the fresh air. You don’t have to go far! Simply take a walk around your neighborhood, put your phone away and enjoy the great outdoors.

 

Happy Earth Day!