Earth Day is a United Nations designated day. It represents the world's most popular environmental awareness initiative as it involves over 500 million people and is celebrated globally. It began in 1970.


Earth Day is officially April 22.

 

This year (2010) marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day!  Check back to our site to find out about our special celebrations!!!

 

Earth Week covers the two-week period surrounding April 22nd.

The Eco-Festival is one of our feature events, started in 1996.  It offers environmental education for area students in a fun and festive atmosphere. Environmental organizations, government agencies, green businesses and high and post-secondary schools have the opportunity to share their expertise and concerns for the health of our environment.

 

 

It features interactive workshops and exhibits, guided nature walks, and eco-entertainment.  Many participating schools join our Go Green Challenge to win the Earth Day Trophy. More than 40,000 area students have participated over the years. It offers something for everyone - even our volunteers - and most importantly gives each child the chance to experience the environment in its natural state.

Our actions today determine the future health of our children. As environmental issues continue to rise to the top of media headlines, and we face serious issues such as global warming, it becomes very important to be informed, proactive citizens. The Eco-Festival will inform students and offer them ideas of what they can do to be stewards of the environment. Our hands-on workshops encourage students to think green while participating in curriculum-linked activities. The Eco-Festival is a fun-filled unique learning opportunity that cannot be reproduced at school. Do not miss out!


Join the Go Green Challenge. Based on getting points for specific actions that will involve your school in environmental education and action, schools can vie for the Earth Day Trophy and have a tree planted at their school - all the while reducing their environmental footprint. Click on the "GO GREEN" option on the menu.

 

 

We encourage schools to provide a display or activity at our Eco-Festival, seek one or more transportation sponsors, and/or assist Earth Day Hamilton's fund-raising efforts - these can earn your school points.

Start now! Add Earth Day to the next staff meeting or parent council meeting. Invite an Earth Day rep to answer questions. Request permission to use your school newsletter to seek a transportation sponsor and to promote Earth Day. Complete the GO GREEN and/or Eco-Festival on-line registration forms! It is very important to keep us informed so that we can support your at-school activities and accommodate your Eco-Festival travel requirements. The registration form also helps to determine which award will be presented to your school. Complete the registration forms as soon as possible. Send updates whenever required.


The Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington committee organizes a tree planting event on a Saturday in April, which brings families and individuals from across the region to a location in need of rehabilitation to plant native species plants and trees. In conjunction with the planting, several fun activities take place for all to enjoy. Visit the Events page for more details.

 

Children love and NEED nature! 

Studies at the University of Illinois’ Human-Environment Research Laboratory on children with Attention-Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder (ADHD) have shown that green outdoor spaces not only foster creative play and improve interactions with adults, they also relieve the symptoms of the ADHD.   Although research in this field of study is very new, it reinforces the gut feeling that most of us have, which is that being out doors in contact with nature is highly important to children's well-being.  [Kuo, F.E., & Faber Taylor, A. (2004). “A potential natural treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence from a national study.” American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1580-1586]

Children find excitement in nature and living things.  Those children who, whether by choice or compulsion, lead their lives indoors are missing out on something special. In his recent book Last Child in the Woods,  American journalist and parenting expert Richard Louv coined a new phrase "nature deficit disorder".

 

A California Department of Education study from 2005 showed that sixth-graders improved their science scores by 27 percent after taking week-long outdoor education classes. Several University of Michigan studies have suggested that proximity to nature enhances people's ability to concentrate.

 

It is Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington's mandate to expose children to the natural world.  In doing this we not only enrich their lives, we also increase the likelihood that they will come to protect nature.