EcoMoms April 2009: Celebrate Earth Day!

Doing our part for a healthier planet in Janesville, Wisconsin

Did you know?

The first Earth Day occurred on April 22, 1970 and the festivities involved more than 20 million people. First proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, whose words from an April 1980 article in the EPA Journal still ring true today:

“So long as the human species inhabits the Earth, proper management of its resources will be the most fundamental issue we face. Our very survival will depend upon whether or not we are able to preserve, protect and defend our environment. We are not free to decide about whether or not our environment "matters." It does matter, apart from any political exigencies. We disregard the needs of our ecosystem at our mortal peril. That was the great lesson of Earth Day. It must never be forgotten.”

What moms can do:

IDEA #1: Share the message of Earth Day! It is up to us, and no one else, to make sure that our children know the importance of taking care of the planet. They learn by watching us, so we must lead by example. Let them see you recycling and help, and talk about why you do. Teach your children where things come from, and what is renewable and what isn’t. Gas for the car and plastic toys and containers come from oil that is drilled from deep within the earth, and once it is gone there will be no more. Sunlight and wind, though, are infinite!

For a fantastic list of elementary-level books with an environmental theme (and several suitable for younger children), look here: http://www.eeweek.org/resources/green_reading.htm

IDEA #2: Celebrate Earth Day with a make-your-own, all-natural, nontoxic project. Here are two recipes for fun from the My Healthy School website:

“Earth-friendly Gloop”

• A few drops of natural coloring (see directions below)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup cornstarch

Add food coloring to water, then mix with cornstarch in a bowl. Poke, squeeze, and enjoy! Store in a covered container and sprinkle with water as needed if the mixture begins to dry out.

“Super Safe Finger Paint”

• 1/3 cup soap flakes melted with ½ cup boiling water
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup cold water
• A few drops of juice dyes (see directions below)

Grate a bar of handmade soap to make the soap flakes. To the melted soap, add the cornstarch and cold water. Stir well and let thicken. Divide into separate bowls and add juice dyes for different colors of paint.
Ingredients to make your own juice dyes:

• For purple, use blueberries or red onionskins
• For red, try cranberries or beets
• For yellow, use turmeric
• For brown, use paprika or coffee

Combine ¼ cup of the food needed for the desired color with 2 cups of water. Simmer over low heat for one hour. Allow to cool. Strain and add to finger paints or play dough.

For a fun eco-project with an older child, break out the sewing machine and say goodbye to plastic sandwich baggies. For the details on making your own reusable sandwich sack, surf over to the Featured Eco-Craft section of Kiwi Magazine online: http://www.kiwimagonline.com/ecocrafts/

Why it’s important:

• Earth Day reminds us to care for the Earth every day, all year long.

• Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths, and nationalities. More than a billion people take part each year!

This EcoMOMs tip was brought to you by Dana Petersen Murphy, mom to Sabriel and Kaia. You can contact me at dpmurphy@photokiva.com.