April 22nd marks the 24th anniversary of Earth Day! It was created in 1970 to bring awareness about all of the pollution that was going into the air, ocean, and ground. Because of that, laws were put into place to cut back on a lot of the pollution. But there's still a lot more that needs to be done! This year's Earth Day theme is "Planet vs. Plastics." Below are books and activities that will help you learn about the importance of keeping Earth's air, ground, and water clean. Even changing ONE habit makes an impact, and kids are part of this effort—it's EVERYONE's home. To learn even more, join us this month for a program or two!
READ: The No Plastic Challenge! By Scot Ritchie
It's Nick's birthday, and he wants to celebrate by challenging his friends to a No Plastics Day. While going a whole day without using single-use plastic, the five friends learn about how much plastic surrounds us in our daily lives; the garbage patches in the oceans; plastic in our food chain; what plastic is made of (science page); changes we can make to use less plastic; and alternatives to single-use plastics. The book concludes with fun ideas for a No Plastic Challenge.
Use your library card or apply for an ecard here to access our digital library!
Questions to think about while you read:
- Read page 6: How Plastic is Your Home? How much plastic do you see in your home? Are you surprised by the amount?
- Our community is very close to the ocean, where a lot of plastic ends up. What are some of the harmful effects of plastic in the ocean?
- Now that you've read the book, what are some things your family can do to cut down on plastic use? What are some things your community is doing as a group? Will you challenge your friends and family to a No-Plastic Day?
PLAY: Test your plastics knowledge!
Click here to take a quiz about plastic pollution on the Earth Day website.
Questions after you take the quiz:
- How did you do?
- Which fact surprised you the most? Why?
- Are you inspired to change some of your habits to reduce plastic waste? Which ones?
EXPLORE: Make a Recycled Plastic Monster
Make a point to collect plastic recyclables in your household to make a "monster" or creature out of it. Not only is it re-purposing plastic trash, but it shows how much plastic you removed from the environment.
Supplies:
- Plastic waste collected from your household, such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, food wrappers, netting, plastic string, bottlecaps, cup lids, drinking straws, etc.
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Assorted embellishments (glitter, pipe cleaners, google eyes, etc.)
Instructions:
- Wash off your materials and allow to dry.
- Look at your materials and think about how you want your monster to look. If desired, sketch it out on a piece of paper first. What would make good tentacles? String or strips of plastic bag. How would you make the center? Ball up and tape some plastic bags together. Let your materials guide your design.
- Create your monster, using tape and/or glue to secure items together.
- Embellish with markers, pipe cleaners, google eyes, construction paper, whatever you like! Make your monster uniquely yours.
JOIN: Attend a program!
View all school age programs and events offered this month.
Registration is required for all programs; if space allows, walk-ins will be admitted. Use the link in the program information to register.
