Spring is Here: Celebrating Community Science Month & Earth Day

Spring is here and we are embracing the season of growth and renewal by exploring the world around us. It is also when we celebrate Community Science Month and Earth Day (April 22), both of which remind us to reflect on the fun and creative ways we can reduce, reuse, recycle, and support our local environments. We can have positive impacts on our communities when we make small changes, for example, thinking about how we use and dispose of the things we buy, how we conserve water, and what we pour down our drains. To learn more about some of the challenges our Earth faces and how you can help make a difference, read on for recommended books, programs, and local initiatives.

COLLECTION

KIDS:

• The Big Book of Nature Art by Yuval Zommer
• Cool Trash to Treasure series (also available on Hoopla) by Pam Scheunemann
• Earth Day and the Environment by Kate Messner 
• Follow the Moon Home by Philippe Cousteau (also available on Hoopla)
• Join the No-Plastic Challenge!: A First Book of Reducing Waste by Scot Ritchie (also available on Hoopla)
• Recycle and Remake by Hélène Hilton
• Riverkeeper: Protecting an American River by Nancy F. Castaldo
• Rocket Says Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon
• Super Simple Earth Day Activities: Fun and Easy Holiday Projects for Kids by Megan Borgert-Spaniol (also available on Hoopla)
• What Can We Do About Trash and Recycling? by Lorijo Metz

TEEN:

• The 21: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Change by Elizabeth Rusch (also available on Hoopla)
• A Short, Hopeful Guide to Climate Change by Oisín McGann (also available on Hoopla)
• Buildings That Breathe: Greening the World’s Cities by Nancy F. Castaldo (also available on Hoopla)
• Climate is Just the Start by Mikaela Loach
• Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought by Christy Mihaly (also available on Hoopla)
• Evolution Under Pressure: How We Change Nature and How Nature Changes Us by Yolanda Ridge (also available on Hoopla)
• Into the Deep: Science, Technology, and the Quest to Protect the Ocean by Christy Peterson (also available on Hoopla) 
• No Planet B: A Teen Vogue Guide to the Climate Crisis edited by Lucy Diavolo (also available on Hoopla)
• The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here: Adapted for Young Adults by Hope Jahren
• Taking On the Plastics Crisis by Hannah Testa

ADULT:

• The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee (also available on Hoopla)
• The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg
• Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion--and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas
• The Field Guide to Citizen Science: How You Can Contribute to Scientific Research and Make a Difference by Darlene Cavalier
• Fixation: How to Have Stuff Without Breaking the Planet by Sandra Goldmark (also available on Hoopla)
• H is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z by Elizabeth Kolbert (also available on Hoopla)
• The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet by Leah Thomas
• Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build A Sustainable Planet by Hannah Ritchie
• The Waste-Free World: How the Circular Economy Will Take Less, Make More, and Save the Planet by Ron Gonen
• We Are the Middle of Forever by Dahr Jamail

LIBRARY PROGRAMS & GETTING INVOLVED

In addition to books, the library hosts programs about the environment and all the wonders around us. Stay tuned to our calendar throughout the year to see what’s happening at a library near you. Below are just a few upcoming programs. And, if you’d like to get more involved your local community, check out Keep Henrico Beautiful and H.E.A.R.T. (Henrico’s Environmental Action Resource Team) to learn more about local sustainability initiatives and resources available in Henrico County.

• Diverse Backyard Habitats
  • Saturday, April 18, 2-3PM at Fairfield 
  • Learn more about how nature benefits humans and how you can make a difference by creating a more diverse backyard habitat. A healthy habitat around your home can benefit both you AND the wildlife! Presented by Henrico Cooperative Extension and Henrico Master Gardeners.

• Explore Earth's Environment
  • Tuesday, Apr 21, 3:30-4:30PM at Twin Hickory
  • Grades K-2, with an adult. Join us for this program series in which children will dive deep into rainforests, deserts, prairies, and other habitats in order to discover how animals, plants, and people live in very different surroundings. We'll begin with a book about that month's ecosystem and then engage in fun activities to learn more.  Books will be available for checkout.

• Earth Day Animal Identification Project
  • Wednesday, Apr 22, 6-8PM at Tuckahoe
  • Earn volunteer hours while helping scientists identify as many animals as possible in camera trap images. This Community Science Monthevent will include a livestreamed presentation by SciStarterand the opportunity to participate in their effort to complete 2.50 million acts of science in honor of America's 250th birthday. Registration is required for students who need access to a library computer. Students who bring their own laptops do not need to register. Tablets and phones are not encouraged.

• Better Birding with eBird
  • Saturday, April 25, 11AM-12PM at Tuckahoe
  • eBird is a powerful online tool that can help you keep track of the birds you have seen and find the birds you want to see. Developed and managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is used worldwide and considered one of the premier community science success stories. Following an introduction to eBird, we will take a short walk around the library's green space to look for birds. All ages are welcome. Participants are encouraged to download eBirdto their portable Android or iOS device prior to the program. A limited number of binoculars will be available for use.

• Plant A Seed
  • Saturday, April 25, 2-4PM at Libbie Mill
  • Celebrate the first days of spring by planting some seeds.  Drop in anytime between 2 and 4 pm and you can enjoy creating your own container pots, filling them with soil, and planting a variety of seeds. All supplies provided. Books about gardening and spring will be available at the program for checkout.