Today is the 50th Earth Day. Proposed as a day to honour the earth and the concept of peace, the first Earth Day in 1970 took place in colleges and universities across the United States. The first Earth Day in Canada was held in 1980 and featured educational lectures by experts in various environmental fields, garbage and litter pick-ups, and tree planting. Today, Earth Day is celebrated in 192 countries around the world.

Working from home and social distancing doesn’t mean that we can’t participate. The National Informal Stem Education Network has an extensive list of at-home activities. Here are some more from us at Recollective and our colleagues at SES Consulting:

Earth Day at Home Challenge ideas:

• Remove invasive species from your home garden
• Fix or repurpose something in your home instead of replacing it
• Collect grey water and use it to water your plants
• Learn about the emissions related to your diet and make a change to have a lower carbon diet
• Plant a garden or a climate-resilient tree
• Learn about the benefits of heat pumps or heat pumps ideally suited to Metro Vancouver climate
• Try reading over streaming
• Practice active transportation: go for a walk, run, or bike ride
• Check in on your neighbours: strong communities are key to our resilience to climate change