Earth Day Archives - Cindy Goes Beyond

April 22, 2022

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt

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Spring in Southwest Missouri is unpredictable. It’s cold one day, warm the next, with thunderstorms rolling through one evening and freeze warnings the following night. This April seems colder than normal with lots of rain. So when abundant sunshine and warm temps showed up on Earth Day, I knew I wanted to celebrate by getting outside.

As I pondered possibilities the thought popped into my mind: “Earth Day Scavenger Hunt”. Yes! I loved the idea.

On my phone I quickly listed ten items to hunt for in the Joplin, Missouri area.

Check out the results!

What’s Earth Day?

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin launched the first Earth Day April 22, 1970. Growing concerns about the environment, spurred by the alarming impact of pesticides, inspired 20 million Americans to participate in rallies and clean up campaigns across the US.

That first Earth Day birthed the environmental movement and led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Today Earth Day is celebrated each year by an estimated 1 billion people around the world.

My Earth Day Scavenger Hunt List

In a scavenger hunt, the player or players look for a specific list of items. I created such hunts for my kids when they were young, often including rhyming clues to help them find the item.

I created the Earth Day scavenger hunt with the dual purpose of getting me outdoors and going on an adventure in my hometown of Joplin.

Here’s the list I came up with.

Find:

a river
a park
spring wildflowers
a garden center
eco-friendly item or items
a tree to hug
recycling bins
a bee
someplace outdoors to meditate for five minutes and send love and positive energy around the earth
trash to pick up and properly dispose of

I found all of the items on the list, although not in the order listed. And one item proved surprisingly difficult to locate. I took a photo of each of my finds, to document the hunt.

Find a River

I considered driving to Grand Falls to check off this item. However, with heavy rains yesterday morning I knew the rivers were at flood level. The chert formations around Grand Falls get very slick after a rain so instead I drove south of Joplin to another section of Shoal Creek.

The rain swollen river flowed swiftly beneath the old walking bridge, discolored by the dirt and silt stirred up by the churning water. I found it beautiful to behold, anyway.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt river — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt – find a river

Find a Park

Joplin offers many parks, from wooded land with walking trails to memorial spaces to playgrounds for children.

I deliberately chose a small park in my neighborhood, Garvin Park. The fondness I feel for this green space with benches, a pavilion, playground equipment, a little stone bridge and a huge sculpture comes from the days of walking there with my kids and later my grandkids.

And I’ve always adored that fantastic sculpture of irises!

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt garvin park — I stopped by Garvin Park, in my neighborhood, to check this item off.

Find Spring Wildflowers

The wild phlox caught my eye as I walked toward the bridge over Shoal Creek. I passed it by, thinking I’d find a prettier patch of flowers later in the day. When I walked back by the phlox, I noticed how fiercely it grew in a rocky inhospitable area.

Its beauty and tenacity touched me. And I considered my search for spring wildflowers over.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt - spring wildflower — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt – find spring wildflowers

Visit a Garden Center

This item was such an easy one for me that I probably should have chosen something more difficult to put on the list! Garden centers are one of my happy places.

While Joplin has several places to purchase plants, I chose Lowe’s Garden Center, primarily because those exact words hang above the entrance to the spacious outdoor area.

Although I didn’t buy any plants today, I will very soon. I did enjoy a stroll among the wide variety of annuals, shrubs, trees and perennials.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt garden center — One of my happy places, Lowe’s Garden Center.

Hug a Tree

As I drove and walked around Joplin, I considered a variety of trees to hug. Plus I have a relationship with Oak Tree, standing tall in Wildcat Park. It’s been a while since I hugged that rugged, ancient tree.

Ultimately, the tree I chose to hug stands in my own front yard. Redbud Tree barely survived the 2011 tornado that ravaged much of southern Joplin. The trunk is twisted and many branches bear scars, witness to the powerful storm that tore the other redbud tree from the ground and left this one broken.

Every winter, more branches die and need trimmed back. Every spring, I feel concern that it’s Redbud’s last one. This tree is so brave, so determined to survive. It budded out this month with the tree’s characteristic purple-pink flowers.

After arriving home, I wrapped my arms around Redbud, pressed my face against rough bark, and sent love and healing energy to the tree.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt - hug a tree — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt – hug a tree

Find Eco-friendly Items

Leaving the house for this adventure, I realized I carried the eco-friendly items I sought.

After improving my own health and learning to take care of me to the best of my ability, I discovered that my desire to care for the planet increased as well.

Since embracing a plant based lifestyle, I’ve worked to lessen my carbon footprint while also adopting ecological practices. The health of the planet and our childrens’ and grandchildrens’ futures depend on how we care for the planet…or don’t.

I’ve steadily reduced plastic use and shifted in many other ways. For this adventure, I carried water in a metal container and apple slices in a small reusable tub.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt eco friendly — Using eco-friendly products for the benefit of the earth.

Find a Bee

The bee could easily serve as the poster child for Earth Day. As pollinators, bees are an important part of agriculture. More than a third of all crops require insect pollination. Lose the bees, and we lose vital crops that range from nuts to berries to vegetables.

And we are losing the bees. The number of hives in the US decreased from 6 million in the 1940s to 2.5 million today.

We can help by planting bee friendly plants and flowers in our yards and gardens. I include bee balm, lemon balm, catmint, lavender and a host of flowering plants in my garden, to attract and feed the bees. (Learn how to create a bee garden HERE.)

With the colder than normal month and all the rain, I wondered if I’d find an active bee today. When I opened my eyes, after a five minute meditation, the first thing I saw was a fat bumble bee, flitting from flower to flower in my garden. It’s the only bee I saw today, however I’m encouraged by that one’s early arrival.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt bee — Can you find the bee? It’s in the center of the photo!

Find a Recycling Bin

Another item that I thought might prove difficult to find, I stumbled on this one at my first stop. The city wisely placed these containers on the bridge over Shoal Creek. When I walked to the bridge to take a photo of the river, there stood recycling bins!

I’m glad to know the bins are there. Recycling is a wonderful way to prevent pollution, reduce the need for new raw materials, save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt recycle — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt – find recycling bins

Meditate Outdoors for Five Minutes

Every place I visited today, I looked for a place to sit quietly for five minutes and meditate. The beautiful day drew many people outdoors, however. I couldn’t find a suitable place to sit….until I returned home.

My backyard garden contains a meditation area. And today it perfectly served as my peaceful spot for a time of sending positive, powerful energy around the earth.

As I mentioned above, I saw the bee immediately after completing my brief meditation. I’m glad I chose my own backyard for this experience.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt meditate — I found the perfect place for an Earth Day meditation in my own backyard.

Pick Up Trash and Properly Dispose of It

Surprisingly, this was the last item to check off of my list. I carried a container with me as I walked in different areas around Joplin, ready to pick up trash. Except…I couldn’t find any!

Southwest Missouri has experienced strong winds…with gusts up to 45 MPH…for days. I think those strong winds blew all the trash away! It’s a good thing or a bad thing, depending on where those bits of plastic and paper eventually end up.

Finally, at 7:00 this evening, I walked around my own house, looking for wayward pieces of debris. I found a small amount between my house and the neighbor’s house, trapped against the foundations. At last, I filled my container and emptied it into a large trash bin in the alleyway.

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt trash — Earth Day Scavenger Hunt – pick up trash

An Earth Day Scavenger Hunt that You Can Do Any Day!

I loved celebrating Earth Day by doing a scavenger hunt. And the truth is, I can do this activity any day. Or you can. Additionally, take any of the items on the list and turn it into a stand alone activity.

Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Appreciate a river near you. Watch for bees and create a garden for them. Use eco-friendly items daily. Check out this post on my other blog, for more Earth Day activities that you can do every day. May we all become guardians of the earth.

How did you spend Earth Day? What activities or celebrations did you participate in?

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt me — Happy Earth Day!

Check out these Earth Day finds from Amazon:

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April 22, 2015

Journey 112: Earth Day

April 22 each year marks the celebration of Earth Day. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after he witnessed the ravages of the massive 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. At a time when awareness was shifting away from war, Nelson’s idea was to turn the energy of the anti-war movement toward the environment, and care for the earth.

Earth Day 1970 brought people together, eliciting support from Republicans and Democrats, the wealthy and the poor, city dwellers and farmers, business owners and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Today Earth Day still unites people and companies from around the Globe with a continued emphasis on caring for the earth, the environment, and the animals across all species. Earth Day 2015 put out the intention of seeing a billion seeds and trees planted, to give back in a way that will have a long term impact on the environment, in a positive, powerful way.

I am, as I have mentioned in previous posts, very connected to the earth and to growing things. I have felt a responsibility for maintaining and preserving this beautiful planet since early childhood. Yes, it’s my temporary home. However, it’s where we all learn and grow, realize our gifts and abilities and share them. If we don’t care for this amazing place, who will? We are the caretakers of the earth and of the animal life here and of each other, because caring for human life is just as important, just as crucial.

I take my role seriously, in myriad small ways: conserving energy, being mindful of the environment and teaching my children and grandchildren to be mindful as well, respecting ALL life, encouraging and supporting organizations and companies who are aware of our great charge as well, to care for the earth. And, I plant a variety of plants and trees.

Today I grabbed a few minutes between appointments to fulfill that desire to plant and tend growing things, working in my backyard, planting new plants, raking and admiring the return of last year’s plants. What a joy to be outside. And how mindful I was of the day and how thoughtful about ways I can better show care for this marvelous place I call home.

I was reminded of a phrase in the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics, that always touches me deeply: “Under all is the land.” Such a simple statement, yet such a powerful truth. Beneath all that is, the buildings, the cities, the jungles, the opinions, the ideas, the beliefs, the feet of animals and humans…beneath me…is the land. The foundation. The sustainer and cradler of life here on earth. The land. The earth. I will do my part to take care of it, not from a sense of duty, but from a sense of love and joy. Happy Earth Day.

April 22, 2014

Day 112: Springfield Botanical Gardens

Today was a gorgeous spring day. After sales meeting this morning, and taking care of a contract, it felt like the perfect day to be outdoors. I had heard there was a Redbud Tree Garden and a Japanese Garden in Springfield, MO. For my first today, Greg and I drove to that nearby city to check out the gardens. It was only after I was underway that I remembered today was Earth Day! What an ideal way to appreciate the beauty of my world.

The botanical gardens were easy to find. I appreciated that Greg googled the location before we left Joplin. My first surprise was how large and varied the gardens are! There are 114 acres of gardens and grounds that include the Botanical Center, a Butterfly House, a Farmstead, a small lake surrounded by a walking trail, and many different types of gardens to stroll through. We started in the Center to pick up a map and info about the grounds and then headed to the Japanese Garden. As my backyard is being transformed, I want a meditation garden in one corner, with strong Japanese influences. I was excited to see this garden so I could get ideas. Sadly, that was my next surprise…the Japanese Gardens are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! We peeked over the fence. It looks like a lovely, serene place to stroll and reflect. I will definitely go back to check out this space.

There were so many other gardens to explore that I was not disappointed about the locked gate at the entrance to the Japanese Garden. We strolled instead through the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. This space includes a perennial border, themed herb beds, and a kitchen garden. The winding pathways made of mulch inspired me to create similar paths in my own garden.

Next we walked along a trail that meandered past the Redbud Garden, which was established in 2011, and the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House. The Butterfly House opens in May. I have always wanted to go into such a place! I will be visiting this enclosed structure, where a variety of native butterflies move through their life cycles before being released in September. The path then wound through individual gardens housing lilies, irises, roses, peonies, and wildflowers. The plants are just pushing up through the ground. It will be interesting to return several times this year to see how the gardens change with the seasons. I am especially intrigued by the ornamental grasses garden, as I want to include a variety of grasses in my backyard sanctuary.

The path joined the walking trail that surrounds the lake. We found a bench near the water to rest on and watched the Canadian Geese float by. The water was like glass, disturbed only by the passing geese. It was such a peaceful and beautiful spot to be still in and enjoy nature. There are many other gardens to explore that we saved for another visit. I want to check out the White Garden, the Hosta Garden and the English and Summer Gardens. A new sensory garden is being developed that sounds promising as well, and of course, I can’t wait to stroll through the Japanese Garden which covers 7.5 acres.

This was a delightful first and gave me wonderful ideas for smaller scale projects for my own garden. As we were leaving, we met Frank, a volunteer at the Center, who chatted with us and shared his amazing gardening website. Meeting and connecting with new people has been an unexpected and wonderful perk that has accompanied many of my firsts. I assured Frank, and promised myself, that I would return soon. And I will!