Earth Day is Tomorrow 4/22/15!

Tomorrow is Earth Day! I have some freebies listed below, but the list isn't as long as it was last year. I also have some Earth Day facts and easy ways to celebrate below.

Bags from 2014. Qdoba ad from 2015.

Freebies:

• Pottery Barn: Plant a seed in a biodegradable cup and bring it home!
• Target: In store celebration usually usually includes a give away of reusable bags with some freebies in them.
• National Parks
• Anthropology. Rain forest craft. (Date/time vary, so please check their website.)

Not-As-Free Freebies:

• Disney. This year, my local store is different. You get a free reusable bag with any purchase, NOT by bringing in plastic bags to trade in. (Use the store locator to find a store near you, click on the store and the events are listed under Upcoming Events.)
• Origins. Free reusable tote with any purchase.
• Starbucks will give you $0.10 off your coffee when you bring in a reusable mug for your coffee. 
• Many grocery stores will offer $0.05-$0.10 off your purchase when you bring in a reusable bag.

When is Earth Day?
This year, Earth Day is Wednesday 4/22/15.

What is Earth Day?
Earth Day was begun to celebrate and raise awareness about the Earth and its environment. It is celebrated world-wide. The first observation of Earth Day was on 3/21/1970. The United Nations made April 22 International Mother Earth Day in 2009. Lately, the focus on Earth Day had been about recycling, reusing, and reducing your carbon footprint.

Easy Ways to Celebrate:

• Plant a tree in your yard.
• Have the kids help you sort the recycling and bring it to the recycling bins.
• Let the kids pick out flowers and have them plant them in the garden.
• Recycle used cans, bottle caps, or paper towel/toilet paper rolls into crafts. (I have a wind chime craft that uses bottle caps and lots of paper towel/toilet paper roll crafts.) Even old broken crayons can be recycled into new crayons, stained glass, or help make a suncatcher!
• Start a vegetable garden in your yard.
• If the park/store is close by, walk instead of driving your car.
• Have the kids help clean up trash at the local park. Many cities have a community clean up event for Earth Day.

Links:

• Wiki, Earth Day
• To find out your carbon footprint, check out www.carbonfootprint.com
• Wiki, Carbon Footprint
• http://www.earthday.org/2015

Plant Me A Head

This is a cute spring time craft and you can use pretty much anything laying around your house to make it!

You will need:

• Washed and dried metal can (DM TIP: I liked the pull off lid cans better than the cans you have to open with a can opener. I found there are less sharp edges with a pull off lid.)
• Googly eyes
• Decorations to create a face: foam, felt, buttons, pipe cleaners, mini clothespins, pom pom balls, etc.
• Hot glue gun, super glue. You could also try glue dots, but the glue dots may fall off over time.
• Potting soil
• Flower, plant
• Optional: Small clear plastic cup to line the inside of the metal can.

Directions:

1. Cut out shapes for the eyes, nose, mouth.
2. Glue onto can.
3. Carefully fill the can with potting soil and plant your flower.

DM ALTERNATIVE: To make a longer lasting craft, you could use silk/fake flowers instead of a live plant. Place a piece of Styrofoam block in the bottom of the can and arrange your flowers. You could even decorate the can with construction paper, since you won't have to worry about it getting wet from watering the plant!


OTHER IDEAS:

• Plant chives, basil, etc. to have a cute windowsill herb garden.
• Plant pretty flowers and make a cute face on the can for a Mother's Day gift. You could even make a necklace out of a pipe cleaner and beans and glue around the bottom of the can (like in the right side picture above).
• Make a goofy face and plant grass seeds or a small ornamental grass plant for a Father's Day gift.
• Make a Monster face for Halloween and use colorful mums for hair.
• Make this at Earth Day and try to use as many recycled items as possible!

Earth Day Is 4/22

Tomorrow is Earth Day! I have some freebies listed below, but the list isn't as long as it was last year. I also have some Earth Day facts and easy ways to celebrate below.

Some Freebies:

• Pottery Barn: Earth Day Treasure Hunt (week of 4/21). Receive a plantable bookmark if find all clues. 
• Free admission to National Parks April 19-20th.
• Target usually celebrates with events in-store. The last few years, they have given out free goodie bags.
• Anthropologie: Butterfly craft for kids.
• Disney: Bring in 5 plastic bags for a free reusable Disneynature Bears bag.
• Qdoba: Buy one entree, get one free. First 200 customers per store get a free reusable bag.
• Some libraries and bookstores offer freebies like story times, bookmarks, pencils, and some even offer free trees. 
• I have heard Jo Ann Fabrics is offering free bags (until supplies run out), but I haven't found anything to confirm yet.

Not So Free Options:

• Caribou Coffee: Free coffee when you buy their Earth Month reusable mug.
• Glass Straw by glass dharma after you complete a survey (you pay shipping)
• Starbucks will give you $0.10 off your coffee when you use a reusable mug. Last year they gave away free coffee, but I haven't found anything to confirm they are this year. 
• Many grocery stores will offer $0.05-$0.10 off your purchase when you bring in a reusable bag.

When is Earth Day?
This year, Earth Day is Tuesday 4/22/14.

What is Earth Day?
Earth Day was begun to celebrate and raise awareness about the Earth and its environment. It is celebrated world-wide. The first observation of Earth Day was on 3/21/1970. The United Nations made April 22 International Mother Earth Day in 2009. Lately, the focus on Earth Day had been about recycling, reusing, and reducing your carbon footprint.

Easy Ways to Celebrate:

• Plant a tree in your yard.
• Have the kids help you sort the recycling and bring it to the recycling bins.
• Let the kids pick out flowers and have them plant them in the garden.
• Recycle used cans, bottle caps, or paper towel/toilet paper rolls into crafts. (I have a wind chime craft that uses bottle caps and lots of paper towel/toilet paper roll crafts.) Even old broken crayons can be recycled into new crayons, stained glass, or help make a suncatcher!
• Start a vegetable garden in your yard.
• If the park/store is close by, walk instead of driving your car.
• Have the kids help clean up trash at the local park. Many cities have a community clean up event for Earth Day.

2013 Freebies, 2014 Freebie info from websites

Links:

• Wiki, Earth Day
• To find out your carbon footprint, check out www.carbonfootprint.com
• Wiki, Carbon Footprint

Earth Day Is Monday 4/22

When is Earth Day?
This year, Earth Day is Monday 4/22/13.

What is Earth Day?
Earth Day was started as a way to celebrate and raise awareness about the Earth and its environment. It is celebrated world-wide. The first observation of Earth Day was on 3/21/1970. The United Nations made April 22 International Mother Earth Day in 2009. Lately, the focus on Earth Day had been about recycling, reusing, and reducing your carbon footprint.

FREEBIES:

• Free entrance to select National Parks April 22-26.
• Caribou Coffee: Although they are closing many stores nationwide, they are still offering a free cup of coffee if you bring in a reusable mug on 4/22. Also, if you Like them on Facebook, they will plant a tree in Central or South America.
• Pottery Barn Kids: Kids get a free pack of seeds! Freebie runs from 4/20-4/22, while supplies last.
• Starbucks: Bring in your own reusable mug and receive a free coffee or tea on Monday 4/22.
• Target: Stop by Guest Services on 4/21 and receive a free reusable bag. (1 per guest, while supplies last.) Some of the lucky bags may have free samples inside them as well.

Our free bag from last year

• Qdoba: Buy one entree, get a second free on Monday 4/22. They will also be giving out reusable bags, while supplies last. I saw this on a sign at our local store, but have not found anything on their website.

Qdoba sign

• Disney Store (see #4 on the list): Bring in 5 plastic grocery bags and receive a reusable Cars or Brave bag on 4/22.

Easy Ways to Celebrate:

• Plant a tree in your yard.
• Have the kids help you sort the recycling and bring it to the recycling bins.
• Let the kids pick out flowers and have them plant them in the garden.
• Recycle used cans, bottle caps, or paper towel/toilet paper rolls into crafts. (I have a wind chime craft that uses bottle caps and lots of paper towel/toilet paper roll crafts.)
• Start a vegetable garden in your yard.
• If the park/store is close by, walk instead of driving your car.
• Have the kids help clean up trash at the local park. Many cities have a community clean up event for Earth Day.

LINKS:
EarthDay.org