Week full of virtual activities for 50th anniversary of Earth Day

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - There will be no Earth Day Celebration festivals around the lake this year, but Lake Tahoe and Truckee event organizers have created a virtual version with daily activities for the whole family.

Despite the current global situation, everyone can still celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day thanks to the team at The Tahoe Fund spearheaded a group via their Take Care program that has provided daily activities and challenges for students and parents to participate in over the course of the week.

Below you will find a combination of Earth Week and Climate Action themed activities that can be done in or around your home, as well as instructional videos.

Mother Nature Monday: 4/20/20

Action: Help plan & eat 3 meals without any meat (No beef, chicken, fish, or pork)

Activity: Wild Weeklong Scavenger Hunt by Tahoe Institute for Natural Sciences

What to Wear: Animal print or animal-themed shirt

Extra Credit: Keep Wildlife Wild Activity from the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Activity: Ask about where your family puts its garbage on garbage pick up day. It is safe enough from bears? What about your recycling?

Now look where your neighbors put their garbage and recycling? Is it safe? Do you think your neighborhood is working together to protect wildlife? If not, how can you do better as a neighborhood?

More resources - http://www.tinsweb.org/education-outreach/tahomenature.

Transportation Tuesday: 4/21/20

Action: Register for the 2020 Tahoe Bike Challenge here and get ready to ride for fun and prizes beginning June 1st

Activity: Go for a walk, bike, or ride the FREE bus with your family, instead of driving for errands

What to Wear: White for clean clouds

Extra Credit: Watch the Bike Coalition and TRPA’s Ready to Ride – VIDEO

More Resources: Learn more about the Tahoe Trail, new trail data, upcoming trail projects, and e-bikes during this TRPA Webinar

Waste-Free Wednesday: 50th Anniversary of Earth Day (4/22/20)

Action: Prepare a meal with little or no packaging you will throw away, think fruits and veggies!

Activity: Learn how much trash you make each day with the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s Trash Audit – VIDEO

What to Wear: Blue for recycling bins

Extra Credit: Participate in the community trash clean-up and pick up trash in your neighborhood with Keep Tahoe Blue

More Resources: Join Sierra Nevada Alliance for their virtual Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Thrifty Thursday: 4/23/20

Action: Save Energy! Turn off lights when you’re not in the room and unplug unused appliances and chargers

Activity: Make a reusable grocery bag out of an old t-shirt from Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships – VIDEO

What to Wear: Orange because it’s fun

Extra Credit: Food Waste: What You’re Really Wasting by Town of Truckee – VIDEO

More Resources: Join SWEP for Earth Hour

Flourishing Friday: 4/24/20

Action: Plant a seed from your lunch! Apples, tomatoes, lemons, cucumbers are all great options – VIDEO

Activity: Make a simple homemade hummingbird feeder to help pollinators – VIDEO

What to Wear: Green for the growing plants

Extra Credit: Plant a Sugar Pine Tree! – Planting Instructions Here from the Sugar Pine Foundation

Grab a seedling from South Lake Tahoe school lunch pick-up locations, or these 5 locations around Tahoe:

• 1458 Mt Rainier Dr, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

• 1600 Glenwood Way, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

• Tunnel Creek Cafe at 1115 Tunnel Creek Rd suite a, Incline Village, NV 89451

• 8777 Speckled Ave, Kings Beach, CA 96143

• Mountain Hardware at 11320 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee, CA 96161

More Resources: Talking Trees Lesson by SWEP

View all activities and information on their website, https://takecaretahoe.org/earth-week/.

On behalf of the North and South Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalitions, participants in these Earth Week Activities are encouraged to share your experiences online using the hashtag #TakeActionTahoe on your preferred social platform or by sending pictures back to teachers.