On April 22nd, 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated! Senator Nelson from Wisconsin had a passion for talking about the earth and helping people learn how to take better care of it. He planned the first Earth Day and over 20 million people participated in it. Over 50 years later, we are still finding ways to love the earth and learn about it every year on April 22nd. There are so many things you can do at home or around Forsyth County this year to love on our planet. Take some time to observe and learn about them. Also, find ways to take action to help!
One of my favorite ways to learn about nature is to do a nature scavenger hunt. This is a great way to have some outside family time and learn about the earth at the same time. Do a nature scavenger hunt in your backyard and look up a free guide online! Get your family or friends together and take a walk to talk about the different kinds of trees there are around you. You can find information and photos by simply looking them up on the Internet! Go into your own backyard and gather leaves. Take time to look at how unique they each are, and maybe even research what kind of plants they came from.
Take time to talk about ways your family can reduce your waste. What are some things you can do more intentionally or do smarter to help reduce the amount of waste? Here are some ideas for your home. Make it a family activity to create a recycle space in your residence. Think about investing in a reusable cup for each member of the household. This will cut down on how much you are washing and how much you are wasting. To cut down on plastic bags, use reusable bags when you go shopping and invest in a lunch box. Go thrift shopping or to a secondhand shop to purchase and reuse items. Donate items to secondhand stores instead of throwing them away. Shop at bulk stores where you bring your own containers!
When considering what to cook for dinner, let the expiration dates decide for you. Try to use the food first that is closest to expiring, so you won’t throw away unused items. Create a compost system at your home to reduce what you are throwing away. The earth will benefit from the nutrients in your veggie and fruit scraps! If you aren’t able to use the foods before expiration, put them into the freezer to use later. Look up different ways that you can put the whole fruit or veggie to use. Use the seeds, the peels, or the cores for something creative.
Planting a tree is a great way to make a positive lasting impact on the environment. Before doing anything on public property, make sure to get a permit and check out the specific regulations for Forsyth county. You can find information on that at library.municode.com/nc/winston-salem.There are different kinds of trees that are best to plant in Forsyth County. For example, large variety trees (35+ feet tall), medium variety trees (25-35 feet tall), and small variety trees (less than 25 feet tall). Some of the top recommended small variety trees for Forsyth County are Japanese Maple, Japanese Dogwood, or Flowering Dogwood.
Check out the local events, such as the Piedmont Earth Day Fair on April 23rd; enjoy a stroll at Tanglewood; run an Earth Day 5k! Get creative this year. Make it a fun family day to celebrate the earth, learn about it, and take action to love it. Make every day Earth Day!
