Simple Steps for Hosting an Earth Day Picnic for the Planet
What is an Earth Day Picnic for the Planet?
An Earth Day Picnic for the Planet is a celebration of the Earth we live on, the natural gifts it provides and the individuals & groups who work to preserve it. Hosting a Picnic at your school is a simple, fun, engaging way to connect students, parents, teachers, and administration to our Earth through the food they love and the people they enjoy sharing it with!
What Does a Picnic Look Like?
It looks like school children & young adults, parents, teachers, and administration sitting outside on the grass, enjoying a healthy lunch, natural daylight, and fresh air.
How Can You Make Hosting a Picnic at Your School Fun & Easy?
Plan & Receive Approvals: Earth Day is on April 22, annually. Pick a few good days around this time to hold your school’s Picnic, check your school calendar, and ensure there are no conflicts with other activities or testing. Describe the activity to your principal, assure them that it is a simple, but very rewarding activity, and confirm the date. Choose an area at your school that is outside to have the picnic. Check with your school’s P.E. and science teachers to ensure outdoor area(s) can be available throughout all lunch periods. Coordinate with your maintenance staff to have recycling and waste depositories near the picnic site. Have a backup plan for bad weather...change the date or move the tables out of the cafeteria, and have everyone sit on the floor & pretend your outside.
Engage and Make it Healthy & Waste Free!
Engage: Engage interested students, teachers, and parents in the planning process. Consider capping off your school’s other Earth Day Celebration activities with a Picnic! Invite all parents to join their children for lunch that day. Invite teachers, staff, and administration to attend, as well!.
Make it Healthy & Waste-Free: Encourage students to pack a lunch that will create little or no waste by using reusable lunch containers, cloth napkins, and reusable water bottles. Promote organic & local, fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains for their lunch.
Advertise Creatively1
Collaborate, Educate and Implement!
Collaborate, Educate and Implement!
Go Paperless! Use as many paperless sources available at your school to advertise: School website, marquis, school announcements, e-mails, weekly e-newsletters.
Recycled Art! Have your school’s Art Teacher or Eco-Team utilize recycled or recyclable paper to create beautiful hand- drawn signs.
Include Community! Post signs so they can be seen inside the school and outside...for your entire community to see!
Collaborate, Educate and Implement!
Collaborate, Educate and Implement!
Collaborate, Educate and Implement!
Collaborate. Work with a local organization to publicize. (Briargrove Elementary and The Nature Conservancy collaborated for this Picnic)
Educate. Include a fun, educational component with the Picnic. Provide facts on how we all positively impact the Earth by reducing waste, conserving water & electricity, and taking care of our natural resources!
Implement. Prior to the date, ensure each class has enough parent volunteers to chaperon the kids. On the day, maintain your school’s normal lunch schedule, and simply have the kids gather outside & enjoy!