Metroparks Earth Day Virtual Challenge
Due to COVID-19 and the ongoing health concerns of social gatherings, we have canceled all our on-site Earth Day clean-ups at the Metroparks – BUT we are still celebrating Earth Day in a different way and we encourage you to join our virtual Earth Day challenges from the safety and comfort of your home and neighborhood this year. We challenge you to do something in support of Earth Day between April 19 and April 26. We have two ways you can participate, and if you do, you can earn an Earth Day Volunteer patch. We will mail patches to the first 500 participants that complete the challenge!
Please remember to practice social distancing and keep at least six feet between you and non-household members. Be sure to wash hands frequently and wear latex gloves and face masks when needed
CHALLENGE OPTION 1: During the week of April 19-26, participate in our Metroparks Earth Day BINGO
Visit our Facebook or Instagram page to find a blank copy of the Earth Day Bingo card (it will be a post in our feed). Each square will be a different activity or action you can take to be an Earth Day supporter. We’re asking that you share the blank BINGO card and tag three friends and challenge them to participate with you. Then get to work and fill out that card and post it with #MetroparksEarthDayChallenge!
Once you get a BINGO, snap a photo or screenshot of the completed card and email it back to Katie Kowalski, Volunteer Services Supervisor at Katie.Kowalski@metroparks.com with your name and mailing address by April 27th. The first 500 participants to complete our challenge will receive a commemorative Earth Day Volunteer patch mailed to them.
Need some inspiration on what you can do to complete those BINGO squares? We’ve compiled some links to get you started:
- Turn off lights when you leave the room
- Practice Recycling
- Practice Composting
- Do a litter clean-up in your neighborhood
- Go on a bike ride
- Take a walk
- Plant a tree
- Plant a food garden for you or a pet
- Remove invasive species (such as garlic mustard)
- Shop local for groceries
- Mend your clothes
- Use bar soap
- Use a reusable straw
- Make the switch to LED lighting or CFL lightbulbs
- Use a reusable water bottle
- Create an upcycle art project
- Take a short shower
- Install a rain barrel
- Plant a rain garden
- Turn down the thermostat one degree
- Open a door or window
- Make a hanging planter
- Spring Clean-up at your house, donate items instead of throwing them out
- Find a moment to be awed by nature
- Hang dry your laundry
- Attempt to create zero food waste for one day
CHALLENGE OPTION 2: During the week of April 19-26, how are you celebrating Earth Day photo challenge
Maybe you really only have time for one more activity. Well you can support Earth Day in that time too! To participate, during the week of April 19-26, please post your photos on social media showing you doing something from the list below with a description of what you are doing to celebrate Earth Day and why it’s important to you. Tag us using @mimetroparks and #MetroparksEarthDayChallenge. To earn your commemorative Earth Day Volunteer patch, email your photo to Katie Kowalski, Volunteer Services Supervisor at Katie.Kowalski@metroparks.com with your name and mailing address by April 27th. The first 500 participants to complete our challenge will receive a commemorative Earth Day Volunteer patch mailed to them.
- While taking a walk, pick up trash and litter along the way.
- Practice the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle)
- Create an upcycle art or home project
- Limit single use plastics (such as water bottles) and reuse as possible, such as plastic grocery bags to clean up after your pet. Also, making sure not to litter latex gloves
- Plant a tree.
- Support products produced locally – This reduces transportation costs and many businesses are now offering local pick-up/delivery
- Decorate and install a rain barrel
- Grow your own food or food for pets (you can even use some scraps from your latest produce to get started)
- Pull invasive species from your yard or around your home.
- Compost food and other natural materials
Additional Earth Day Resources
The Earth Day Network explains what Earth Day means and why we should all participate on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day this year.
You can participate as a citizen scientist and help gather data for the Earth Challenge 2020. “Earth Challenge 2020 is the world’s largest ever coordinated citizen science campaign. The initiative integrates existing citizen science projects and builds capacity for new ones — all to grow citizen science worldwide. Using mobile technology and open citizen science data, Earth Challenge 2020 empowers people around the world to monitor and mitigate threats to environmental and human health in their communities.”