Happy Earth Day!

Hello Earthlings!

Earthlings – a human being living on Earth.

So today is Earth Day. What does this mean? Well, it all started in 1969, when peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth during a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. Now it is an annual event, celebrated on the 22nd of April . People all over the world go to events or take action to demonstrated support for environmental protection. You can learn more HERE.

Earth Day even has its own anthem. An anthem is a formal song of loyalty, praise, or happiness.

Earth Day Anthem

Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment

Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise

Now we must resolve to protect her

Show her our love throughout all time

With our gentle hand and touch

We make our home a newborn world

Now we must resolve to protect her

Show her our love throughout all time

With our gentle hand and touch

We make our home a newborn world

Now, the most important question is: what can YOU do? Here are some suggestions, but we would love to hear your ideas in the comments’section!

Choose an action

Eat less meat

The meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Help make a difference by limiting your meat consumption. Take the pledge today!

Start composting

More than a billion pounds of food are thrown away every year. Help make a difference by turning your food waste into soil. Start composting today!

Adjust your water heater

Did you know the average water heater wastes energy heating water to temperatures that are too hot for human use? Adjust your thermostat today!

Stop using disposable plastic

Help end our obsession with plastic and protect the environment. Take the pledge to stop using disposable plastic.

These are just four examples, you can find lots more on the Earth Day website.

Vocabulary

Wonderment – a feeling of being surprised or amazed.

Resolve – to find an answer or solution to (something): to settle or solve (something).

Gentle – not hard or forceful.

Generates – to produce (something) or cause (something) to be produced.

Emissions – the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source.

Limiting – placing a limit on what is possible or allowed.

Pledge – a serious promise or agreement.

Waste – material that is left over or that is unwanted after something has been made, done, used, etc.

Soil – the top layer of earth in which plants grow.

Composting – to change (plant materials) into compost.

Water heater – the machine that heats the water in your house.

Adjust – to change (something) in a minor way so that it works better.

Thermostat – a device that automatically adjusts the temperature in a room to a desired level.