Happy Earth Day 2019 everyone!
April 22 is Earth Day, and throughout the world, people are celebrating our planet!
Earth is a very special place. Not only is it the planet planet we call home, but it is our ONLY home. For as long as humans have lived, Earth has been our home, and it will remain so for the foreseeable future. Even astronauts who visit the international space station don't stay much more than a year, and are reliant on supplies from down below. Until such time as we figure out how to establish permanent settlements on the Moon and other bodies, we have only the one home, and it's our job to help take care of it.
The origins of Earth Day go back to January 1969, when an oil spill off the California coast killed over ten thousand animals, including native seabirds, dolphins, seals and sea lions, and fish. An estimated 80-100,000 gallons of oil went into the waters north of Los Angeles, requiring months of clean-up. The oil spill was the largest one on record at the time, and remains the third largest oil spill in the United States, after Exxon-Valdez and Deepwater Horizon.
The events surrounding the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill were highly publicized. During the clean-up, Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson toured the spill from helicopter, and shortly after proposed the creation of Earth Day. Since then, Earth Day has expanded astronomically in size, and is celebrated in over 190 countries. Today, Earth Day is the largest, non-secular holiday in the world.
You can learn more about Earth Day by visiting their website., opens a new window The Earth Day Network organizes Earth Day activities across the globe and sponsors many of the events and programs.
Those interested in going across the Lake can enjoy Earth Day in City Park. Visitors to the Botanical Garden on April 16 can enjoy many fun activities and learning.
Audubon Nature Institute, -including the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium of the Americas, and the Audubon Insectarium- is another well-known and beloved New Orleans organization. They routinely host ecological and conservative events. On April 27 they are hosting Family Service Day, for those looking to volunteer locally or learn about local ecological problems and solutions.
Louisiana Earth Day is held every year in Baton Rouge. This year's occasion is being held on Sunday, April 28 from 1-5 P.M. and includes many activities for people of all ages.
Feel free to check out some of these items about Earth Day and other helpful activities you can do to help the planet. You can also use our catalog to look up other items on this or other topics.
The Everything Kids' Environment Book
How will you help protect our planet? Feel free to leave a comment below!
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