Written by Rebecca Quinones, Materials Selection Librarian, Downtown Main Library
Today is the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day. Earth Day is observed every April 22 around the world to celebrate and support environmental protection. While we are all staying inside this month, you can still celebrate by watching, learning, and reading about the great outdoors.
Some local and national parks are open for visits, but how did they come to be? Watch Ken Burns: The National Parks, opens a new window to find out! With great research and cinematography, this is an entertaining and informative documentary series available through both the Library’s Kanopy and Hoopla, opens a new window services.
“From Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska, the series explores the stories of people, from every conceivable background, who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so, reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy," reads the series description on Kanopy.
There are lots of ways you can celebrate Earth Day without leaving the house. Check out the resources below for some ideas.
Taking Root: The Vision of Environmentalist Wangari Maathai , opens a new window
This documentary shows how planting trees can lead to great change, as shown by the life story of Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai.
Earth to Luna! , opens a new window
Help your kids understand the process of recycling and why it is important with this “Earth to Luna!” episode.
Food Forward: Sustainable Solutions to America’s Food Challenges , opens a new window
PBS created this TV series in 2014 to highlight individuals across 50 cities in the U.S. who are providing new solutions to help combat America’s growing food challenges.
Zero Waste, opens a new window by Shia Su
Living a zero-waste lifestyle isn’t a quick change, but this book has simple tips to help make small changes that can lead to a big environmental impact.
Find more great resources like these on Kanopy, opens a new window, Hoopla, opens a new window, and Overdrive, opens a new window. Happy Earth Day!
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