Earth Day Goes Virtual

06/12/20

“Thank you so much County of San Diego - Government for having such encouraging and engaging activities 😀😀 “ – Nisha J.

"Very informative! Thank you so much!!" – Michael R.

“This is great! Thank you for all that you do, SD County LUEG! – Marie K.

County residents shared their appreciation of the Earth Day website the County of San Diego Land Use and Environment Group created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd. The website features activities, videos, and virtual tours to give children, teens, adults and families a fun way to enjoy Earth Day even though beaches, parks and trails were closed due to COVID-19.

Earth Day 2020 artwork

What Does Earth Day Mean to You

Local youth let their creativity shine through their artwork. Samarth Joshi, 4, of San Diego, and Yoshi Sannwald, 10, of El Cajon were the winners of the drawing and animation contests. Our San Diego County Supervisors also shared what Earth Day means to them. County residents are encouraged to sign up to take the Earth Day 2020 Pledge if they haven’t already.

The County celebrates Earth Day every day by protecting the region’s diverse and unique natural ecosystems and agricultural resources. You can do so as well. Here are some of the fun, engaging, and informative activities available on the County’s Earth Day website.

Play

  • Young scientists can see how rain clouds form.
  • Download the County Parks Coloring Book where young artists can be creative with nature scenes and meet wildlife friends like Franklin, a desert tortoise living at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center.
  • Earth Rangers is a podcast for 7th-12th grade students to explore the world’s rainforests, savannahs, oceans, and deserts.
  • Learn how to identify and safely handle household hazardous materials by taking the Hazmat Quiz.
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

Explore

  • Take a virtual hike or bike ride through San Diego County trails.
  • Explore your neighborhood and see if you can find the items in the Earth Day Scavenger Hunt (available in English and Spanish).
  • Set sail around the world to warm Caribbean beaches or historic sites like Stonehenge.
  • Gardeners young and old can try the Master Gardeners School Gardens Curriculum.
  • Learners from all grade levels can become bird sleuths.
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

Learn

  • Curious how thermometers work? Find materials around your house to create a thermometer.
  • Learn about air quality and how to reduce air pollution in your home and vehicle travel.
  • What you eat matters. Take the Foodprint Quiz to find out how.
  • No one likes pests. Managing pests includes use of pest detection trapping, dog team, and bees. Watch the pest exclusion video.
Ask a Recycling Specialist

Facebook Live Events

The Department of Public Works held a Facebook Live video where over 8,000 participants were welcome to “Ask a Recycling Specialist” about what types of materials, or size of containers that can be recycled, and what to do with plastic caps. For more information, you can follow County of San Diego Recycling on Twitter and Facebook and to send in your recycling questions.

More than 4,000 people tuned in to the Department of Parks and Recreation Facebook Live events featuring park rangers who shared expertise on topics like birds of prey, hiking etiquette and essentials, and how to properly plant a tree. These resources can be found on DPR’s Virtual Resource Center – a web portal that is updated weekly with new programs and DIY recreation opportunities.

We hope we have planted the seed of adventure, learning about our wonderful environment, and how each of us can do something positively impactful. “Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” – John Ruskin