Depending on where you live, Earth Day is either on March 20th (the vernal equinox)
or on April 22nd. Those of us in the US celebrate it on the latter date. No
matter
when or where you celebrate, Earth Day is a time to honor our precious planet.
In recent years, this has taken the form of entertainment more often than action. Earth Day events generally feature live music, food, some booths for non-profits and possibly a crafts area for kids.
While all of this makes for a good time, it doesn't do much for the Earth. In fact, there always seems to be more trash on the ground at the end of the celebration than there was at the beginning. For an event to have a real impact, practical hands-on education for both adults and children is a necessity.
In classrooms and on the Web, most Earth Day activities are crafts projects.
Chief among these is the grocery bag project, where students decorate paper
grocery bags that are then returned to the store. The theory is that shoppers
will see the bags and be reminded of the Earth's special day.
What does this actually accomplish? And more importantly, does it really teach children the skills they need to be good stewards of our planet?
To be fair, there are Earth Day projects that focus on more meaningful activities. Composting, water
conservation and energy efficiency are
all excellent topics.
But there's so much more. For example, how about an activity on rainwater collection? Collecting rainwater reduces the strain on regional water supplies. A simple project might involve using an appropriate container to catch water from a downspout. The water could then be used to irrigate a garden, preferably one that's organically grown.
Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to global warming. There are so many ways in which these emissions can be reduced. For tutorials on improving your current car's gas mileage; making your own biofuel; hybrid, solar and electric vehicles, and car ownership alternatives, look here.
Lighting accounts for 22 percent of all US energy use. Compact fluorescent bulbs
use 1/4 of the electricity used by equivalent incandescent light-bulbs. LED
lights use 80-90% less electricity than incandescents. Add to this the
fact that LEDs produce almost no heat, while incandescents contribute to air
conditioning costs.
Some people find the light of compact fluorescents and LEDs to be too harsh. Full spectrum (daylight-like) models are available, but are more expensive. Using a cream colored lampshade solves this problem by creating a warm, diffused light.
You can find tutorials for building your own LED and solar powered lights here.
There are a number of ways now available to supplement or even completely replace the electricity you get from the power company with sustainable energy. "Sustainable energy" refers to electricity whose source can be endlessly renewed with almost no harm to the environment. This includes solar, wind, micro-hydro (small water turbines) and more.
You can find tutorials for building and installing sustainable energy components and systems here.
Lastly, how a home is built has a huge impact on how much water and electricity its residents will use. Many different construction methods have been developed with this in mind. While most result in "normal" looking homes, there are also unusual styles available. You can find tutorials here.
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