Back in 1970, Americans were consuming leaded gas in massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. ‘Environment’ was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.

On April 22nd that year, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. People began fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife.

Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda”. Today, his fight has lead to one of the world’s most important initiatives.

Earth Day 2009, on April 22, isn’t about a single action you can take to support a healthier environment. Instead, Earth Day is seen by many as a catalyst for change and a day to renew a personal commitment to support a healthier environment for our children. Here are a few simple things you can do to improve the state of our world and make every day an earth day.

The following suggestions are from www.earthday.ca:

Top 10 Actions for Earth Day 2009

1. Smart Shopping – Buy what you need, not what you want. Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed. Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores.

2. Simple Savers - Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Use aerators on faucets and shower heads. Weatherstrip windows and doors.

3. Transportation Alternatives – Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation. When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure. Consider car sharing programs or renting.

4. Food Choices – Choose local and organic foods that are in season and support local food producers.

5. Washing and Drying – Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry.

6. Heating and Cooling - For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C. For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C. Install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats.

7. Bathroom Basics – Take short showers instead of baths. Close water taps while brushing your teeth.

8. Careful Cleaning – Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products. Make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water.

9. Don’t Discard – Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash. Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers.

Children get most of their most learning through positive and rewarding experiences. To make Earth Day important to them, make it fun, interesting and enjoyable. Let you kids know that what they do today will effect this planet in the future.

One of my all-time favorite websites, kaboose.com, has tons of neat games and activities, all focused on making the planet a better place. They also have kid-friendly crafts, like egg carton bug mobile, tin can herb pots and ladybug rocks (my favorite).  You are sure to find something perfect for any age.

For some great book and stories that share more about earth day means, visit www.reflector.com or raspberrykids.com to see their great selection. EnchantedLearning.com has many easy to print coloring pages, homemade projects and activity pages for older kids to get inspired.

Younger children can get a feel for what Earth Day is all about by singing songs, coloring pictures and making crafts.  Mary from Songs4Teachers has some of the songs she wrote especially for Earth Day using familiar tunes like Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  You may not have a lot of time to fit these activities in if your baby is just brand new, so check out this website for some mom-friendly ideas for little ones.

With the sun shining today, I am opting for the most fun and least expensive way to enjoy earth day, letting my kids officially play in the dirt.

Standing on my Soapbox,

JB