Earth Day started in 1970 after a massive oil spill in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin started the day to create a national “teach-in” that would educate the public about the environment. Now, more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day each year! Earth Day is always celebrated on April 22. Whether you plan a large community-wide event or just do something small on your own, there are lots of ways to celebrate the day. Here are 22 ideas from the OnAir team:

1. Make a video about Earth Day and share it on YouTube. (If you’re in grades Pre-K through 8th in Georgia, you can include Nature Cat for a chance to win Zoo Atlanta passes!)
2. Organize a neighborhood festival to raise awareness about Earth Day. Invite guest speakers, such as city employees or parents who work with the environment.
3. Sell lemonade or baked goods to fundraise for your favorite environmental organization. (Make sure to use recycled cups or plates!)
4. Turn off your electronics for as long as you can.
5. Get outside! Go for a hike, swim in a lake, or climb a tree.
6. Visit your neighborhood community garden and see how you can get involved.
7. Plant a vegetable or herb garden of your own.
8. Research an endangered animal and post about it on social media.
9. Learn about your school or neighborhood’s recycling program and make sure you’re recycling everything you can (Plastics 1 – 7? Aluminum? Steel? Magazines?) Then, share this information with your classmates or neighbors.
10. Install a rainwater collection system at your school or house to reuse water.
11. If you don’t already, start composting.
12. Lobby for less printing in your school or home. Think about creative ways to discourage printing that don’t include printing flyers!
13. Make a reusable grocery bag out of plastic grocery bags.
14. Take an Eco-field trip to a nearby park or animal sanctuary.
15. Use water-based acrylic paints and recycled paper or cardboard to paint your ideal vision of Earth.
16. Bake something with local honey that supports the bee population in your community.
17. Write a short story about an Earth Day hero.
18. Find the oldest tree in your neighborhood, then lead a scavenger hunt for your friends, classmates, or neighbors to find it, too.
19. Use alternate “green” transportation, like walking, biking, or skateboarding, to get to school or work. For extra fun, create a Get There Green campaign to educate your community about these routes.
20. Construct something out of bamboo, one of the most renewable materials in the world.
21. Create an Earth Day pledge for friends and classmates to sign saying what they’ll do to help the Earth for the year. (For example, turning off lights, unplugging electronics, riding bike, etc.)
22. Make Solar S’Mores!

For more Earth Day lesson plan inspiration, click here. You can also check out www.earthday.org to see what others around the world are doing. We can’t wait to hear about your projects!