World Environment Day – Interesting Facts and Activities for Kids

What Is World Environment Day and When Is It Celebrated?

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on the 5th of June every year. It’s a day when communities and countries all over the globe spread awareness about conserving nature and reducing the negative effects on the environment through various public campaigns and events. The event also encourages the public to participate in World Environment Day activities and do their bit towards protecting and preserving the environment.

Why Is World Environment Day Important?

World Environment Day is important to raise awareness about conserving the environment and promoting. It is the day environmentalists, and conservationists promote how certain contributions have made a difference and encouraging many to follow suit. World Environment Day forms a part of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) whose mission is to engage businesses, governments, celebrities, and citizens alike to contribute towards pressing environmental issues.

Through World Environment Day activities, it can be possible to bring about global change by forming a global community that focuses on the wellbeing of the environment. The occasion encourages everyone to think about newer ways to reduce the consumption of natural resources, to develop greener models, to become sustainable, to protect wild spaces, to educate and inspire children to live in harmony with nature, and for them to become valiant protectors of a green future.

What Is the History of World Environment Day?

World Environment Day was established to make the public aware of various environmental issues like global warming, deforestation, plastic pollution, and greenhouse gases. It was brought into existence by the United Nations General Assembly in 1973 and was first introduced through several effective campaigns. The purpose of this day was to make the public conscious of how they, together, can play a huge role in preserving the environment.

What Is the World Environment Day 2020 Theme?

The world environment day 2020 theme is “Time for Nature”. This year, the focus is on caring for nature in order to care for ourselves. And, this can be done by taking notice and raising our voices to protect nature, who is the sole provider of the food and water we consume, and the air we breathe.

Other Important Facts About World Environment Day That Children Should Know

Here are some important (and fun) facts about World Environment Day that your kids should know.

• World Environment Day has its very own anthem.
• The first World Environment Day was celebrated on the 5th of June, 1973.
• The UN General Assembly in 1972 established World Environment Day.
• Over 80 trillion aluminium cans are recycled every year, and just one of them is enough to power a TV for 3 hours!
• Over 100 countries are involved in the public outreach campaigns of World Environment Day.
• According to a WWF report, the rate at which the population is growing, it is estimated that humankind will need three planets to sustain life by the year 2050.
• Food waste across the world contributes to 14% of global carbon emissions!
• There is no one way of celebrating World Environment Day. Every country celebrates it in different ways, like parades, environmental outreach programs, street rallies, concerts, etc.
• Around 27,000 trees are cut down every day to supply the growing demand for toilet paper.

World Environment Day Activities for Kids

Here are a few fun World Environment Day craft activities that your kids are sure to enjoy. We suggest that you guide your kids through these activities and help them understand how they can preserve the environment.

1. DIY Compost Bin

If you’d like to skip using harmful chemical fertilisers for plants, try making this DIY compost bin. It’s very simple, and your kids will love to make it.

What You Will Need

• A plastic bucket
• Fruit and vegetable peels and scraps
• Used tea leaves
• Coffee grounds
• Loose soil
• Water
• Something to drill holes with

How to Do

• Drill holes on the base and sides of the bucket.
• Layer it up with vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and used tea leaves.
• Add the loose soil on top.
• Sprinkle water and cover the bucket with a lid.
• Swirl around the pile every now and then and let it sit for 4 weeks. Your compost will be ready.

2. Birdhouse – The Shoebox Way

If you’ve got a shoebox lying around the house, don’t throw it in the dumpster. Here’s how you can teach your kids to make a birdhouse out of it:

What You Will Need

• A shoebox
• Tape
• String threads
• A pair of scissors

How to Do

• Cut a 3-inch diameter hole in the middle of the shoebox.
• Fill in the hole with some grass and tiny rocks to make a nest, or do anything that will make birds feel welcome.
• Tape the edges of the box to make sure they are held in place.
• Suspend a string in the air and connect it to the top of the shoebox. This will let you hang it wherever you like.

3. Fruit Peel Cleaner

If you want to become proficient in the art of reusing and recycling, try out this DIY, eco-friendly detergent/cleaning project. You can use the liquid to clean up your house!

What You Need

• An airtight container
• A couple of fruit peels
• Brown sugar/jaggery powder

How to Do

• Put a bunch of fruit peels in an airtight container.
• Add the brown sugar or jaggery to it and let the mixture sit and ferment for a couple of days.
• Make sure to unscrew the lid and get the gas out every other day.
• When one week is up, remove the mix and filter the liquid. Use this to clean your house, utensils, or any surface.

4. Cardboard Box Holder

Got a cardboard box lying around the house? Don’t throw it away; use it! Here’s how –

What You Need

• Any cardboard box (preferably cereal boxes)
• A pair of scissors
• Coloured paper
• Glue
• Pencil

How to Do

• Hold the cereal vertical on a table.
• Cut the top part of the box (the opening flaps)
• With a pencil, mark the centre on the top part of the cereal box.
• From this mark, draw a line at a 45-degree angle.
• Now, cut through the line.
• Follow these steps mirroring the backside of the cereal box.
• Your holder is read,  and all you have to do now is decorate it with your favourite colours, coloured paper, etc. and use to store magazines, stationery, etc.

5. Recyclable T-shirt Bag

For this activity, you will need a spare t-shirt that you were planning on throwing away. Here’s how you can make a recyclable T-shirt bag –

What You Need

• A t-shirt with a scoop neckline or rounded neckline
• A pair of scissors

How to Do

• Start off by cutting around the round neckline area of the shirt.
• Cut off the sleeves (if any).
• Spread out the shirt and turn it inside out.
• Make fringes by cutting the hemline with a pair of scissors.
• Pick two fringes, opposite to each other and tie them. Tie all the opposite fringes to seal the bottom of the bag.
• Turn the t-shirt bag outside in, and voila! Your bad is ready!

You can share these DIY projects with your friends and family this World Environment Day along with Environment Day Quotes wishing them well and encouraging them to contribute in whatever small way they can to save the environment. Here are some quotes you can share with your loves ones.

Environment Day Quotes

Sending environment day quotes is a great way to remind and encourage people to do their bit for the environment.

• The Earth is what we all have in common. – Wendell Berry
• A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
• I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use. – Mother Teresa
• One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken. – Leo Tolstoy
• The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for. – Ernest Hemingway
• Time spent in nature, among trees is never time wasted. – Anonymous
• Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries. – Jimmy Carter
• He who plants trees loves others besides himself. – Thomas Fuller
• What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on. – Henry David Thoreau
• Every day is Earth day.

Taking care of yourself starts with taking care of your planet. World Environment Day reminds us to pay respect to the world we live in. In time for the next World Environment Day, start practising sustainable living and watch your life transform. Living an environmentally conscious life is the best decision you’ll make. After all, you’ll be leaving the world a better place for your child.