Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. April 22, 1970, was the first Earth Day celebrated, the national holiday quickly gained global attention. Now more than a billion people in over 190 countries celebrate Earth Day every year to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation.
To protect the planet, it is most important to reduce waste above all else. If you, your friends, or neighbors happen to already have plastic materials, here’s a fun and creative way to keep the planet clean by reusing and recycling plastic items instead throwing them out!
Create colorful flowers out of recycled plastic and encourage your child’s imagination to bloom as you create a vibrant garden that not only looks lovely but also spreads the message of sustainability.
Recycled Plastic Flowers
Materials
- Plastic plates or cups (recycling number 6)
- Sharpies
- Wire
- Hot Glue
- Scissors
- Extra: pot or vase for display
Steps
- Color your plastic plates or cups with Sharpie markers.
- Make slits on the sides with a pair of scissors.
- Place them on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 2-5 minutes at 350 ºF.
- Let them cool.
- Attach a wire to create the floral stem by using hot glue on the back center of the flower.
- (Optional) Make more flowers to have a whole bouquet.
How can you help?
- Reduce waste: Purchase less disposable/single-use items, reuse what you can, repurpose items.
- Recycle thoughtfully: Adding non-recyclable items to recycling bins will cause more harm than good. Learn how to properly recycle with these few tips and check with your local recycling website.
- Volunteer: Look up volunteer opportunities in your area. Many volunteer and cleanup events will be held by Keep Austin Beautiful.
- Donate: Give money to green charities. There are so many nonprofits you can give to, from wildlife, to rainforest protection, to ocean conservation and more! Our friends at Keep Austin Beautiful are a local nonprofit that helps beautify green spaces, clean waterways, and reduce waste every day.