Earth Month 2023

The Claremont PTA Celebrates Earth Week - JOin Us

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Below are some fun events and activities to help celebrate and protect our amazing planet!

 


GREEN TIPS FOR KIDS

Dispose of Batteries Properly. Did you know? Rechargeable batteries found in digital cameras, laptops and mobile devices do not go in the trash! Never place these types of batteries in the trash because they can overheat, explode and cause fires. You can dispose of batteries at Arlington fire stations. Regular batteries can go in the trash.

 

Bottled Water Versus Tap. The process of manufacturing and packaging bottled water requires a lot of energy. The plastic used to bottle the water releases toxins as it decomposes. This is dangerous when we think about how most one-time use water bottles end up in landfills and bodies of water. In fact, only about 20% of water bottles in the United States actually get recycled. Tap water, also known as municipal water, comes from wells, lakes and reservoirs. It passes through water treatment plants to remove any contaminants before reaching its destinations. This type of water is generally very safe. The United States has one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world. The EPA also regulates public water sources by putting legal limits on contaminants. Tap water is 2,000 times cheaper than bottled water! Arlington County has excellent water.  Read the County’s Water Quality ReportSo instead, be green, use refillable water bottles! Arlington schools and parks have installed water bottle fillers. Claremont has two - one in the hallway next to the library, and one in the gym.

 

Start Composting! You can compost almost everything, from dead flowers and plant-based kitchen scraps to shredded paper and used coffee grounds. It’s remarkably easy to do, helps to reduce waste going to the local landfill, and provides a nutrient boost for flowers and/or vegetable gardens. Start composting by collecting non-meat food scraps and plant debris outside in a bin. Moisture, heat and aeration will help to speed up the process. If you can’t compost where you live, place your food scraps in the green trash cart, or take it to the Sunday Columbia Pike Farmers Market or Earth Products Yard on Arlington Mill Drive.

 

Where does the trash go? It can take years for manmade trash to decompose in a landfill. It takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose! Check out this graphic to see how it takes for other items to decompose.

 

Green Insect Repellent. When you’re not using them for compost, used coffee grounds are an easy, green alternative to poisonous insect repellents. Just sprinkle some grounds around any areas of the home that are prone to ants and you’ll get rid of a pesky problem without inhaling toxic fumes. Don’t drink coffee because you’re a kid?! Sprinkle cinnamon or cayenne pepper instead!

 

Skip the Paper. Paper products account for about a 1/3 of the waste commonly found in landfills. Sponges, washcloths, and towels are cheaper, reusable, and take up less space than paper towels. And when they get dirty, they’re easily disinfected by boiling them in hot water or heating them in the microwave. No waste necessary!

 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The best way to keep trash out of landfills is to recycle it! Recycling means to re-use an item by turning it into something else. Yogurt cups are melted down and formed into toothbrushes; and plastic bags are turned into fleece jackets. Arlington County collects paper, plastic, and metal to recycle. Even Claremont’s playground has a recycling can, where you can recycle your fruit cup containers and paper!

 

Reduce use of Plastics! Did you know that every year 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced? And every year over 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans?! This is bad news for our planet’s wonderful wildlife, who get trapped and tangled in our plastic waste – and even eat it by mistake. We all need to work together to reduce plastic pollution and keep our planet a clean, safe place to live. And there are lots of small things we can do to make a big difference…

 

10 tips to reduce plastic pollution

 

1) Say no to plastic straws. Use reusable straws made from bamboo, metal or glass – or why not make your own colorful paper straws?

2) Use a reusable water bottle. See above!

3) Avoid plastic bags. Did you know it takes more than 20 years for a plastic bag to decompose? Make sure you and your family take reusable bags with you on your next trip to the store. 

4) Snack on fruit, instead of crisps or sweets. Fruit fills you up in a healthy way, and there’s no extra plastic packaging. Switching your snack to fruit means you’ll be looking after your body as well as the environment. Cool!

5) Make green goody bags for your next birthday party. Instead of filling your party bags with plastic yo-yos and other toys for your friends, give homemade tasty treats (like fudge) and eco-friendly gifts, such as paper notebooks and flower seeds.

6) Eat your ice cream from a cone. By ditching the cup and spoon you’ll reduce your plastic waste – and you’ll get to enjoy a crunchy, tasty treat, too!

7) Buy in bulk. When it comes to food shopping, buying little and often requires more plastic packaging than buying lots in one go! Encourage your family to shop for snacks, cereal and pasta in the bulk, then store it in reusable glass jars for when you need it.

8) Waste-Free Lunch! Lunches can contain a lot of stuff that ends up trash. But you can reduce the amount of trash in your lunch. First, pack items that come in their own wrapper, like apples, oranges and bananas. Second, instead of buying individual-sized bags of chips or cookies, buy a big bag and for each lunch, place some in a reusable container for your lunch. Third, bring a reusable water bottle…filled with water! 

9) Avoid toys with too much plastic! Things like pop-its and legos are super fun but are all plastic! Try to avoid buying too much of it new, and instead look for used toys at thrift shops, garage sales, and online exchanges. Some toys are also made out of recycled plastic, so look for those whenever possible. And, look for toys made out of natural materials like board games, card games, and puzzles! Finally- borrow something from the library! Arlington County Library lends out American Girl Dolls and games- check it out!

10) Never litter! Sometimes you have to use plastic – and that’s okay! But you should always reuse and recycle whenever you can, and never leave plastic in the environment. Ensure that any waste generated at Claremont outdoor lunch ends up in the trash and recycling bins instead of on the playground or in the woods!

 

Have you thought of recycling your clothes?! Ripped and torn clothes can be made into new things! Stuff a ripped pants leg with paper or other old t-shirts, and use it to block drafts on the bottom of a door - a doorSOCK instead of a doorSTOP! Sew together the bottom of an old t-shirt and cut off the sleeves to make a tote bag. Cut soft t-shirts into cleaning rags. 

 

Clean, Green. Before there were chemical-laden cleaning products on grocery store shelves, people used natural things to clean. Lemons have AMAZING antibacterial qualities and will leave your kitchen smelling fresh as a spring morning. Even tough stains on kitchen countertops can be removed by simply leaving lemon juice on the stain for a few minutes, and then wiping it away with a wet cloth. You can use them to clean counters, stoves, toilets, and floors! Mix vinegar, water, and a few drops of lemon juice to make an effective cleaner: For counters, simply sprinkle baking soda on a wet cloth and wipe it down. To clean a stove, mix XX of baking soda and XX of water, spread it over the inside of the stove, wait 15-30 minutes, and scrub it off! Vinegar can also be used as a disinfectant. Use a little lemon juice to help cover up the vinegar smell. Mop a floor with XX of vinegar, YY of water, and a few drops of lemon juice. 

 

For the AdultsInstead of using powerful (but harmful) chemical cleaners to clear a clogged drain, use a combination of baking soda and vinegar. First manually remove what you can from the drain, then add the vinegar mixture. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes, and then run some hot water down the drain.

 

Save Energy. The average home’s power use emits 22,000 pounds of greenhouse gases each year - twice as much as a car. Half of home energy use goes to heating and cooling. So to use less energy, lower your thermostat to 67 degrees in the winter and raise it to 74 degrees in the summer. Ceiling fans can be used to create a killer breeze, or simply to circulate the air from your air conditioner throughout the house more efficiently. A ceiling fan uses just 75 watts of electricity per hour while an AC uses __ per hour! A computer in sleep modes adds $70 to annual electricity costs. Turn it off! Most of the energy used to wash clothes just heats the water. An open fridge door wastes 215 watts of electricity per hour. TV, DVDs, and computers eat up 15% of a home’s energy use, even when turned off! Instead, unplug them completely.

 

In addition to thwarting peeping toms, closing your windows, shades, and blinds keeps the sun from turning your room into a sweltering furnace. When night falls, you can open the ones oriented toward prevailing winds in order to catch the cooling cross-breeze.

 

Incandescent light bulbs create as much heat as they do light, and home electronics stay hot even when they’re on standby. So shut ’em off completely to save energy and cool things down a notch. And consider replacing old bulbs with Energy Star bulbs, which produce 75% less heat.

 

Did you know that just by using a lid to cover a pot on the stove top, you can reduce your energy use by up to 2/3rds? It also allows you to heat food faster, saving you both time and effort.

 

The microwave is your friend. Microwave ovens use up to 80% less energy than a regular oven! It also cooks faster, leaving you more time to commit to other environmentally-friendly activities. And it’s safer for kids to use than a stove. 

 

Save Water. A full bath may be fun to play in, but it’s also very wasteful. An average bathtub can take up to 70 gallons of water to fill, while a 5-minute shower uses just 10-25 gallons.

 

Support Green Businesses. Here are just a few examples:

  • Support your local farmer's markets in Arlington and Alexandria 
  • Check out Green America certified businesses - it lists environmentally and socially responsible businesses in different categories like Food, Bedding, Clothing, Fair Trade, Financial advisors, and more!
  • Mom’s Organic Market (MOM’s): Excellent grocery store that walks the talk when it comes to being green! There are locations in Alexandria (Chirilagua) and N. Arlington!
  • Ethique: Reduce plastic and water use by using solid shampoo and body wash bars! They have a 20% off discount for all products during Earth Month!
  • Sherpani: They make beautiful, functional fair trade bags out of recycled materials. 
  • Patagonia: Much of their clothing is fair trade and made of recycled materials. 

Activities and Resources

  • Watch one or more Our Planet episodes about our amazing planet! Experience our planet's natural beauty and examine how climate change impacts all living creatures. Narrated by: David Attenborough  

    • Free Episodes - YouTube link: https://tinyurl.com/3u5tjkjh
    • For Spanish subtitles, click "Settings" and choose Spanish (This was a watch party last year)
  • National Geographic Kids Earth Day Celebrations: Learn about the history of Earth Day and ways to celebrate and protect the planet any day of the year!
  • Our Planet / Nuestro Planeta: Learn more about the amazing diversity of life on our planet and what you can do to help save it with videos, activities, and other fun resources.

  • WWF Wild Classroom: Connecting educators and parents with the tools and resources they need to help kids explore and understand the world around them. Together we can inspire the next generation to build a future where people and nature thrive!

 


Earth Day Worksheets

 


 

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