Earth Day. It truly is one of my favorite holidays! Our little planet gives us so much -- clean air and water, beautiful landscapes and oceans, and a whole host of wildlife (humans included!) for us to marvel at and enjoy. Earth Day is a day when we can thank our home planet for all it gives and we can give a little (or a lot!) back. Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate Earth Day.
1. Plant a tree!
Visit any local nursery to purchase your favorite type of young tree. Pick a spot in your backyard and give that tree a new home! Visit the Tennessee Tree Project website for more information about how to plant trees and other fun Tennessee tree facts.
2. Organize a neighborhood clean-up!
Call your neighbors and set up a time to get together and clean up any litter in your neighborhood. Here's some tips to get started. Or better yet -- get involved with Mayor Megan Barry's Citywide Spring Clean event set for Earth Day!
3. Start a garden!
And this can be any kind of garden -- herb garden, container garden, flower garden. Your garden can be as big as your backyard or as small as a single plant in your home. Just get yours hands in some dirt and help something new grow. Here are some tips for starting small gardens in urban settings.
4. Join in the fun at Nashville's Earth Day Celebration!
There will live entertainment (this is Music City after all) and plenty of hand-on activities in Centennial Park to help educate you and your family about going green. Plus, visit with over a hundred community groups and government organizations all dedicated to keeping Nashville a beautiful place. Maybe you even sign up to get involved with their efforts!
5. Get educated about the Earth and its fragile environment.
This wouldn't be a library blog post without some book recommendations! Our environment may be ancient and seem like it will last forever, but we all live in the fragile ecosystem that binds us all together. Earth is our home and our home must be treated with respect. Here are some books to help you learn about the earth, climate change, and what you can do keep our planet safe and healthy.
Happy Earth Day!
