Earth Day Ideas and Activities

Service

• Neighborhood/congregation property clean up: Gather a group, some trash bags and gloves, and go out and clean up part of your community. If you’d rather join an effort that is already organized, check out the Kalamazoo Earth Day Festival for a list of events throughout the month of April:     https://www.kalamazooearthday.com/copy-of-earth-day-2025

• Gardening day: At your home, house of worship, or community garden, spend some time with your hands in the dirt. Interested in joining a local effort? The Growing Community Garden is hosting a spring work day on May 16 from 9-4 pm at Sunnyside United Methodist Church, 2800 Gull Road. Learn more about Growing Community Garden at https://www.growingcommunitygardenkzoo.com/

​

Climate Action Plan

• Hope for Creation has created a "Climate Action Plan" for congregations. This is a step-by-step list of action steps that can be taken to reduce carbon emissions. The list is comprehensive and offers many ideas and suggestions for action! It is available to all. To request a copy of the Climate Action Plan, fill out this form: Climate Action Plan Request FormCl

 

​​​​Education

• Host a nature walk on your congregation property or at a nearby park. If you have a naturalist in your group, awesome! If you don’t, use field guides or apps (like iNaturalist) to identify trees and plants. Take photos! Make a map! 

• Host a film screening. There are so many great films to choose from! For ideas, check out https://www.creationjustice.org/faithfulresiliencefilms.html. Another option is the 20 minute film “Gifts of the Land:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxJUFGlPYn4

• Host a guest speaker: Molly Mechtenberg, director of Hope for Creation, is always open to come and speak about climate change, earth care and Hope for Creation. 

• Prepare an Earth Day service: There are resources for full Earth Day services, including sermon aids, prayers, and songs, from Catholic Climate Covenant (https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/programs/earth-day/)  and Creation Justice Ministries (https://www.creationjustice.org/earth-day-library.html).

• The Honorable Harvest Lecture Series, hosted by Kalamazoo Valley Community College,  is intended to help people “explore ways in which we can come together to nurture and restore the Honorable Harvest in our communities and in our everyday lives." The series runs every Tuesday evening through the spring. On April 21 Molly Mechtenberg and Steve Bertman will be giving a lecture entitled "Building a Personal Roadmap for Climate Resilience." Learn more at: https://valleyhub.kvcc.edu/events/honorable-harvest-lecture-series

 

Advocacy

• Join Hope for Creation’s monthly advocacy event! On Tuesday, April 7 from 8 - 8:30 we are learning about the human and environmental cost of the Iran war. We will call our federal representative stating our opposition to this continued unjust and unauthorized war. Learn more here:  Calling for Climate Justice

​

Celebration

• Outdoor Gratitude Gathering: Host a gathering outdoors to express gratitude for our shared home. Offer prayers or meditations to foster connection and celebration. For resources on https://www.creationjustice.org/earth-day-library.html

• Community Potluck or Picnic: Gather together for a meal. Feature plant-based food if you’re able. If you want ideas for plant-based food recipes, check out our website: https://www.hopeforcreation.net/plant-based-eating

• Visit the Art Festival at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portage. This year's environmental theme is "Whose Backyard?" Learn more at https://www.westminsterartfestival.org/

• Create a mural of a tree or field in a common space at your house of worship. Have people write down actions or prayers on leaves or flowers that get applied to the mural. It creates a beautiful work of art and inspires creative ideas and further action! 

​

30 Day Challenge

• The Unitarian Universalist Church in Portage offer a “30 Day Sustainability Challenge” to encourage people to explore the many ways we can change our lifestyle and habits to show our love and care for the earth.

​