Americans will celebrate Earth Day on April 22, continuing a tradition first recognized in the U.S. in 1970 due to the efforts of former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson.
The day has become synonymous with students learning about ways to help the environment, public awareness campaigns about ways to reduce our carbon footprints, and planting trees.
This year, residents may have noticed less mention of Earth Day events compared to previous years. Many area schools, including Ridgeway Elementary, held their environmental events last week since the observance falls during spring break.
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In addition, Earth Day this year also happens to fall on Good Friday. This combination has reduced the typical number of Earth Day events that residents have been accustomed to seeing.
If you are struggling with finding a way to celebrate Earth Day, we have a few ideas.
Find out what's happening in Manchesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Save the planet bags at ShopRite – When residents shop at ShopRite, 1001 Route 70, this Friday, they will find their groceries placed into a uniquely-designed bag. Last week elementary school students in Manchester decorated grocery bags with drawings depicting various ways to help save the Earth. These bags will be used for groceries on Friday to help educate shoppers on ways to do good for the environment.
A tree planting for our troops – On Saturday, April 30, Whiting Elementary School, 412 Manchester Blvd., will host a Community Packing Project from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to put together care packages for U.S. troops stationed overseas. As part of the event, a tree will be planted to in honor of the troops serving the U.S. military. An opportunity to see a tree planted that will help the environment while also being patriotic.
Pledge your own personal Earth Hour(s) – Perhaps you missed last month’s Earth Hour, when people are encouraged to not use electricity for an hour to help the environment while also showing the impact that our current way of living is having on the planet. If you missed it, try to pick your own block of one hour during the day and see if you can live without electricity. If you did participate last month, challenge yourself to see if you can give two hours for the this time.
Attend a green job fair – It may be almost a month away, but the Green Jobs Career Fair in Trenton should be on your calendar if you're thinking about a career change or are among the over 9 percent who are currently unemployed. Check out this state wide job fair being held in our state’s capital on May 20 to look for a new green job. Pre-registration is recommended. Information, including address and hours, can be found on the fair's website.
