The Early Childhood Center celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22. Children in the ECC participated in a number of activities which both celebrated the earth and showed them simple ways to contribute to Earth’s preservation.

These activities included the melting down of old crayon nubs into new "pot-crayons," painting used cardboard tubes to create a set of binoculars, drilling holes into old promotional CD’s donated by JJC to make decorative, prismatic wall-hangings, rock-painting, and the planting of both flowers and homemade green bean greenhouses.

These activities coincide with the Earth Week program at the ECC. The ECC is working with both children and parents to help raise awareness about the value of preserving the earth, and instilling this value into children from the beginning.

"We can start them off now and show them they can make a difference," said Bev Cavanaugh, coordinator of the Joliet Junior College Early Childhood Center.

Aside from the Earth Day celebration, kids in the ECC are practicing their eco-friendly skills on a daily basis. The simple act of refilling an empty bottle instead of throwing it out is the type of behavior children are learning to incorporate into their daily lives.

The landfill evading tactics don’t just stop there, however. This year the ECC was able to completely fund their family picnic via money made from selling framed portions of children’s discarded finger-paintings.

Parents are encouraged to donate lightly-worn clothes their children may have outgrown to be added to a circulating clothes collection that other ECC parents can take from.

As well, a bookshelf full of discarded children’s books, all in good condition, stands right outside the ECC entrance, free for anybody to give or take.

Continuing to teach these ideas at home is important to giving the next generation a concrete basis in terms of earthly conservation.

A board stands outside the ECC with suggestions for how parents can work with their children to include the things they learn at school.

"You don’t have to be a teacher to teach kids these important lessons," said Cavanaugh.

One challenge many parents and teachers face is the lack of nature most children experience these days. In the 21st century, many children do not even know how to play outside.

Getting children involved in nature might be our best bet for preserving nature in the future.

As Cavanaugh said, "The child who plants a flower will not be the one who steps on it."