How do you celebrate Earth Day under quarantine? In Miami, it’s easier than you think
The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is here — but how do you celebrate and enjoy nature when parks are closed and you’re stuck inside during a pandemic?
You go virtual.
Museums, zoos, parks, nonprofits and universities are hosting virtual presentations, talks and activities all week to connect with people and remind them about the importance of wildlife and environmental conservation.
Some will even discuss COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. People are stuck inside, washing their hands more and finding creative ways to celebrate special occasions during the pandemic.
But for all the stress and chaos the disease has caused, some experts say the COVID-19 lockdowns are showing first-hand how much our human footprint affects the world.
Empty beaches mean sea turtles can nest peacefully, and while it’s too early to tell how nesting season will turn out, experts are hopeful the sea turtles will thrive in the environment. And scientists have already detected a decline of carbon in the atmosphere since businesses closed and people stopped using their cars as much.
The drop — because of its expected short time frame— will not change the Earth’s overall warming forecast, according to Miami Herald news partner WLRN. However, some climate scientists told CNN that the COVID-19 pandemic proves action can be taken at the national and international level to address the world’s climate crisis.
Many of South Florida’s virtual Earth Day events will address the different layers of the Earth’s climate crisis, including climate change, sea level rise, the importance of healthy waterways and ecosystem preservation.
The virtual events will happen live through social media or on a popular video streaming platform like Zoom. Others will be pre-recorded.
And if you have kids, don’t worry. There are plenty of kid-friendly educational resources available to explore nature, teach about environmental conservation and create some cute Earth Day-themed crafts.
Here are some ways you can virtually celebrate nature in South Florida from the safety of your home:
Earth Day Challenge: Live a healthier and sustainable lifestyle
▪ Zoo Miami is posting challenges all week on its social media pages to celebrate Earth Day. The daily challenges encourage people to live a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle while also learning about the nature that surrounds them.
On “Meatless Monday,” the zoo encouraged its followers to “eat like a gorilla” with a gorilla salad recipe. Tuesday, the zoo asked its followers to free their mind with nature-inspired yoga. And on Earth Day, the zoo is encouraging you to find and identify the plant and wildlife in your backyard or neighborhood with the Seek by iNaturalist app.
Remember: Follow social distancing guidelines if you plan to take a walk, bike or jog outside, avoid touching your face, and wash your hands properly once you return home. Depending on where you live, you may also be required to wear a mask or face covering.
Visit https://www.zoomiami.org/earth-day-challenge to learn more about the daily challenges.
▪ The city of Miami is also encouraging residents to participate in arts nonprofit “Before It’s Too Late” Earth Day Week Challenge. The seven-day challenge promotes a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle while also encouraging you to reflect on the problems facing the Earth’s climate, wildlife and natural water supply.
The Miami-based arts nonprofit has created a seven-day challenge online guidebook to explain the problems that have inspired the challenge such as Trashy Thursday (which encourages Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle), give you an environmental prompt to think about, and at least one idea on what you can do to help save the Earth.
On Water Wednesday, for example, the nonprofit asks you to find at least three ways to conserve water in your home or daily habits. And since everyone is washing their hands more because of the COVID-19 crisis, the nonprofit says you can save water while washing your hands by turning the faucet off while you lather.
To learn more about the Earth Day Weekly Challenge, visit http://www.beforeitstoolate.earth/7-day-challenge.html
▪ Miami Beach is hosting free “Sustainachella” virtual workshops at least through the end of the May. Each workshop discusses a different topic that the city says promotes environmental stewardship and sustainable living habits. For Earth Week, the topics include water and energy conservation, sustainable transportation, coral reefs, marine life and the importance of shark conservation.
To register for the free workshops and to see the upcoming workshop schedule visit http://www.mbrisingabove.com/your-home/sustainachella/
Museums, parks, universities host virtual Earth Day presentations
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If you’re interested in the Everglades and all its natural wonders, you might want to check out the pre-recorded presentations the Everglades Foundation and Everglades Holiday Park will be hosting on Facebook to raise awareness about the importance of protecting its unique ecosystem:
▪ At 11 a.m., the Everglades Foundation will host an interactive pre-recorded presentation discussing water usage, where our water comes from and the importance of the Everglades ecosystem. Visit https://www.facebook.com/EvergladesLiteracyProgram/ to watch.
▪ Then at 4 p.m., Everglades Holiday Park will be sharing a pre-recorded presentation about how alligators and other crocodillians are affected by climate, temperature and environmental changes in the Everglades. Visit https://www.facebook.com/EvergladesHolidayPark/ to watch.
Tiger King and Big Cat fans who are curious to learn more about tigers might want to tune into the Palm Beach Zoo’s prerecorded three-part series about their Malayan tigers.
The zoo says the series, which will air on PalmBeachZoo.org, gives a behind-the-scenes look to the relationship between the zoo’s three tigers and their zoologists, an up-close look at a tiger sonogram and a discussion about tiger mating.
If you’re more into marine life, you might want to set a reminder for the Museum of Discovery and Science live Turtley Amazing Sea Turtles Zoom session. The live discussion will talk about the importance of South Florida’s ecosystem for sea turtle nesting, what happens to the turtle after they leave our beaches and how our local decisions can affect conservation globally.
The museum says viewers will also have a chance to see and learn about George — a loggerhead sea turtle who is an ambassador for his species — before he swims out to sea.
To RSVP for the Zoom presentation, visit http://www.mods.org/earthday2020.
The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science will be hosting a virtual live talk at 2 p.m. to discuss three of the biggest environmental challenges facing Earth, citizen science projects that are making local and global changes and what you can do from home to make a difference.
The downtown Miami museum also has a DIY Science project resources list at http://www.frostscience.org/frost-sciencehome-learning-activities/ for the little scientists you have at home. Activities include tips for stargazing, making your own dinosaur fossil and how to use different combinations of materials to build your own bubble mix.
To RSVP for the talk, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/877419176017175/
The University of Miami is also hosting virtual Zoom meetings all week to discuss climate change, the future of our world and what lessons the COVID-19 crisis might have for future responses to Earth’s climate crisis. Some of Wednesday’s events include:
▪ A discussion on climate change, sustainable development and if social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis is having an impact on our ecological footprint. The Zoom session is from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
▪ A panel on how to build your own garden and how local community-based urban gardening can help solve public heath and climate crisis. The Zoom session is from 5 to 6 p.m.
▪ Grab your vegetables, greens and healthy fats and create a well-balanced plant-based meal for UM’s Earth Day Plant-Based Cook-off hosted by the Plant-Based Canes. The virtual cookoff will require you to post a photo of your creation on Instagram using the hashtag #UMplantbasedfortheplanet and tag @plantbasedcanes and @umdining before 6:30 p.m. on April 22.
The school says the winning dish will be chosen based on creativity, presentation and use of ingredients. Bonus points if you come up with a creative name. The winner will have their meal featured on UM’s Dining Instagram.
To learn more about UM’s virtual Earth Day week or to RSVP for an event, visit https://greenu.miami.edu/topics/nature/earth-day/index.html
If you have kids, you might want to check out UM’s Earth Day Activity Packet for Earth Day-themed activities, including a crossword puzzle, how to build a recycled mosaic and how to make a no sew T-shirt tote bag. You can download the activity packet at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MjdkIwVsBUZYjMXEV3N4Bj6Lcbj439_j/view
Miami Children’s Museum also has a step-by-step guide on how to create fun and colorful sculptures using recycled materials from your home. You can find the instructions for the Earth Day Recycled Art Project at https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/step-by-step-guides/
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 3:25 PM.
