Students at both primary and elementary participated in activities to support environmental protection. Elementary students have even used the compost they generated to fill biodegradable newspaper pots to grow a sapling at home.

Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.

Reducing the use of plastic is the highest priority today! The Earth Day network has issued an urgent appeal to help end plastic pollution by finding out how many plastic items are consumed by each person, every year. We all can make an effort to reduce that amount.

Please join Khalsa School is supporting this pledge. It is critical to leave a better world of our children!

If your family would like to make their own seed pods, like the elementary students did today, here is Mr. Mark’s “recipe”.

Biodegradable Seed Cups

Materials:

Black and white news paper

Empty 12-15 oz. steel soup cans

Glue or paste (optional)

Potting soil and finished compost

Seeds

These easy to make, garden soil friendly planting cups are a great way to celebrate Earth Day by planting some seeds. These newspaper cups use recyclable and compostable materials and can be directly planted into a larger pot or garden bed. The reused newspaper will breakdown to allow the seedling to continue growing. You’ll need a quarter sheet of regular newspaper, about 10-11 inch square. To make the cup put the can on the edge of the newspaper sheet leaving an inch or so at the bottom of the can to crimp under. Make a cylinder of paper around the can. Glue or paste isn’t strictly necessary but can be helpful to seal the seam of the cylinder. Next fold the bottom paper under in 4 or 5 sections. Remove the can and fold over the top half inch or so inward to finish the top of your paper pot. Added potting soil and some finished compost to fill to the top, plant your 1 or 2 seeds and water Good seed choices for April are okra, green onions, sunflower, zinnias, chilies, eggplants, marigolds and basil. Gourd family seeds like squash, melons and cucumber can be started this way but should be planted carefully so the roots aren’t damaged. They should be planted within the month since the paper pots are made to break down. These cups are fun to make and don’t need to look perfect after all they’re made to plant in the dirt. Happy Earth Day!