Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970 as an environmental teach-in, Earth Day is today celebrated by more than a billion people in 190 countries globally.

There are so many ways you and your family can celebrate, learn, and explore the wonders of our planet safely in the great outdoors and from the comfort of your home!

Here are 15 ideas for how you can enjoy Earth Day as you stay-at-home or safely (and with social distancing) go outside.

1. Get out and enjoy the beautiful Cook County Forest Preserves. Grab a trash bag, your gloves and go for a walk enjoy nature as you help clean up to make the Forest Preserves more beautiful.

2. Honor the Earth through art! Draw your favorite Forest Preserve, your favorite flower, or create a mandala design using plants from right outside your home!

3. Learn about what the Cook County Forest Preserve was like 50 years ago when Earth Day first began! 

4. Check out the Campaign for Nature to help protect 30% of the planet's land and sea by 2030

5. Earth Day starts at home - read about some of the unusual happenings at the Shedd Aquarium!

6. Love the animals at Shedd? Want to protect their wild counterparts? There are many ways to act to protect aquatic animals and their habitats—at the aquarium, in your community, and even around the globe!

7. Learn from Friends of the Park about the importance of Earth Day and how to build "Healthy Parks" for a healthy Chicago

8. Go green and recycle used paper to make new, fresh paper will sprout into flowers when planted in the garden

9. Spend Earth Day with Astronaut Jessica Meir on the Space Station

10. Join Earthday.org for 24 Hours of Action in a global digital landscape and have global conversations with your peer conservationists!

11. Learn how to install a rain barrel from the Forest Preserve District and use water captured from your roof to water your plants

12. The Solid Waste Agency shares fun recycling facts game

13. Take a walk and practice your observation skills with Nature Bingo

14. Learn about the history of Earth Day

15. S.A.V.E the Earth for Digital Earth Day and Speak up, Act, Vote and Educate yourself