12 Ways to Spend Earth Day with Your Teens

Earth Day
Use one of these ideas if you’re looking for ways to spend Earth Day with your teen (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

When you think about spending holidays together as a family, it is unlikely that Earth Day is one of the holidays that come to mind.  But since this is the perfect time of the year to get everyone out of the house and doing something service oriented together, it might be time to reconsider whether or not Earth Day belongs on your list of “family” holidays.

Earth Day, which will be held on April 22 this year, has helped raise awareness about environmental concerns for more than 40 years.  Take a little time this year to reconnect with the world around you and the members of your family.

Here are 12 different ways you can do something together this Earth Day to make a difference in the world around you while also strengthening the bonds between you.

1.     Compost

If you aren’t already composting, take some time on Earth Day to create a place to compost kitchen scraps and yard waste.

2.     Plant Something

It could be a tree, some flowers, a bush, a cactus….it doesn’t really matter what you choose, just get down in the dirt and make something grow.

3.     Go to the Park

Have a picnic dinner in the park or simply take the kids and the pets there to play.

4.     Take a Walk

Go for a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood as a family after dinner – just make sure to implement a “no phone zone” during this family time.

5.     Start a Garden

It doesn’t have to be big it just has to be green.  Plant some citrus trees in your yard or a kitchen herb garden in a window sill.

6.     Take a Hike

Celebrate the natural beauty that is all around us with a special Earth Day hiking adventure.

7.     Host a Swap

One of the best ways to cut down on what winds up a landfill is to repurpose items we no longer need or want.  Invite friends and family over and ask them to bring some swap items too.

8.     Set up a Rain Catcher System

While that might seem strange here in the desert, you can still catch rain when the monsoons come and catching that rain enables you to repurpose it for watering house plants, citrus trees, and gardens.

9.     Swap Your Bulbs

Go through your house and swap out any remaining fluorescent light bulbs for the more energy efficient CFL bulbs.

10.  Volunteer

What better way to spend Earth Day than by volunteering your time, as a family, to help with some community or church event.

11.  Visit a Zoo or an Aquarium

While Earth Day is traditionally about conservation and environmental activism, it is also a great time to have an immersive experience, so go seek out some nature.

12.  Have an Eco Challenge

Have each family member come up with a way that the family can be more eco-friendly and then spend the evening talking about which changes you want to implement and how you are going to do some small things to make the world a better place.

 

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