EARTH DAY PROJECT IDEAS

Make Recycled Paper – from www.billybear4kids.com

Ingredients 

Old Paper
Dish Pan
Water
Screen Frame (or fry pan screen lid)
Blender
Towels
Old Pieces of Sheet 

Gather bits of paper around the house and tear into small pieces.  Fill the dish pan about half full with water and place paper in the water overnight.

Fill the blender about a quarter way full with the paper.  You can use a large spoon with holes in it to pick the paper out of the dish pan. Set the blender on MIX and blend for a few minutes until the paper is nice and mushy.

Take out the mushy paper (pulp) and put into a strainer (metal strainer with small holes works best).  Lay out a few towels and place an old sheet on the towels.  Next, place the paper on the sheet to remove more water.  Place the paper on the screen and let it dry overnight.

You can also use terra cotta cookie molds to make window decorations and holiday ornaments.  Once dried, punch a hole into the paper and add a ribbon for hanging.

Paper Mache – from www.planetpals.com 

Ingredients 

Water
Flour
Paper 

Stir three parts water into one part flour until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Stir well and the paste is ready to use.  Newspaper works well – just tear into long strips.  Dip each piece of paper into the liquid mixture and apply it one piece at a time

Grocery Bag Decorating 

Ask a local grocer if you can “borrow” some paper grocery bags.  Take them to your classroom or organization and have the kids decorate with Earth Day themes. Return them to the store to use so that the Earth Day message is spread to all customers that day.

Earth Day Projects in PDF format.

EARTH DAY PROJECTS PLANNED FOR LIVINGSTON COUNTY

 Check back early in 2003 for a listing of Earth Day projects planned for next year.