April 22nd is Earth Day! You may ask, what is Earth Day and how can my senior parent participate? This is a day dedicated to showing how we impact our planet by the way we use and dispose of products. Earth Day was first held on April 22, 1970 in support of environmental protection and saving our planet. This date was chosen because it fell on a weekday which landed between Spring Break and Final Exams – maximizing student involvement. Students at that time were protesting oil spills, pollution from factories and power plants, toxic dumps, pesticides and so on. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests and there were massive rallies in cities, towns and communities.
The strain on our environment grew with the growth of the earth’s population and the increase in factories and technology. As we move forward, we have a better understanding of the results of our past use and disposal of products. More of the population is paying better attention to creating and sustaining a stronger environment.
Does your senior’s community celebrate Earth Day?
You can begin by asking your senior’s community how they honor Earth Day. Generally, the senior living community center has a concierge service to help residents with suggestions, plans for outings and on-site gatherings. The theme for Earth Day 2023 in “Invest in our Planet”
Here are six questions to ask your parent’s community about Earth Day:
- Does the community recycle papers and plastics?
- Does the community conduct paperless billing?
- Are the dining utensils reusable?
- What type of lighting does the community utilize?
- Does the community compost leftover food?
- Is there access to a community garden?
Visit earth day.org to see information about “actions and tips to make a difference, every day of the year.”
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