Celebrating Earth Day!

Earth Day is a very special celebration at Casa since one of our core values is Healthy & Holistic Impact! We get to celebrate our beautiful planet, learn why we need to protect it, and actions we can take to help it recover from the damage it has endured. Celebrating Earth Day is a great reminder that although we can do things on this day to help our planet, such as walking to work, there are many other things we can incorporate into our everyday lives that will consistently make a difference! Celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd and also everyday by doing some of the activities below. 

Celebrating Earth Day! 

Learn about the following topics and discover fun activities to do with your child!

• Celebrating Throughout the Day
• Celebrating Throughout the Year
• How We Positively Impact our Planet at Casa
• At-Home Activities

Celebrating Throughout the Day

On Earth Day consider walking or biking to school. This helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and improves our air quality, making our lungs and bodies feel better. If walking to work is not possible, take public transportation! Or consider walking around the Minnesota Sculpture garden to learn about native Minnesota plants and see what the landscape looked like before settlers arrived. Additionally, you can also learn about the importance of pollinators. Afterwards, try cooking a vegetarian meal! According to a recent study, if everyone in the United States reduces their meat consumption by 25%, we can reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1%. 

Celebrating Throughout the Year

• Learn what can goes into the Compost, Recycle, or Trash Bins.
• Use reusable bags for lunch/food storage, and grocery shopping.
• Use reusable wrap to cover open containers. 
• Plant a garden, especially native plants, to support insects and bees. 
• Support local restoration efforts.
• Shop at local farmers markets. Transporting food from other countries uses a lot of resources and fossil fuels thus emitting more greenhouse gasses. 
• Use a reusable water bottle to help eliminate plastic bottle waste.
• Change your accounts to be paper free and receive emails for your bills. 
• Shop at second hand stores or buy clothing that requires less water to make.
• Find new recipes to reduce food waste. Did you know bananas are some of the most common thrown out food items? Freeze overripe bananas and make smoothies, ice cream, or banana bread. 
• Eat less meat! Find delicious meat free recipes that can also reduce your food bill.

How We Positively Impact our Planet at Casa

We are always looking for new ways to positively impact our communities and our planet! Some of the things we do at Casa are: compost uneaten food, educate our staff on how to properly dispose of different items, collaborate with local farmer’s markets, plant gardens, and establish new initiatives throughout the year to keep improving. 

At-Home Activities

There is so much to learn about our planet! Here are some great resources for children to understand different topics regarding this day. Engage with your child by further explaining concepts they might not quite understand, and by asking them questions such as: How do you say this in Spanish? Or Qué aprendiste hoy (What did you learn today)?

Understanding Climate Change for Kids 

Endangered and Extinct Animals 

Balanced Ecosystems Game: In this game they will also learn how taking away resources changes the ecosystem.

Watch the following movies: Happy Feet, A Beautiful Planet, To the Arctic, Our Planet, Ice Age: The Meltdown (Play them in Spanish to practice at home!)

Farming Game:This game teaches children where food comes from. 

Live Cameras: Watch a live stream of animals in their natural habitat and talk about their environment. (Encourage your child to say names of animals they see in Spanish!)

Virtual Field Trips