As the COVID-19 situation develops, we know that many of you are practicing important safety protocols like social distancing. This means that many of you are looking for ways to stay involved remotely, especially on Earth Day! This can be especially challenging with kids home from school. In light of that, we wanted to share a few conservation related actions and activities you can do from home.
ACTION
Register for absentee voting: The Ada County elections office announced that the May 19 primary will be only vote-by-mail. Click here for the registration, ballot request, and ballot return deadlines. Click here for absentee information and the request form.
ACTIVITY
Plant a pollinator garden: With more time spent at home, this is the time to start up the garden you have always wanted. It’s a great way to relax, support our local pollinators and decrease trips to the grocery store for fresh produce.
ACTION
Take the census: Census data dictates everything from clean air standards to funding for school lunches. Our Idaho-focused Census 2020 coalition, Contamos/We Count, provides bilingual information about the census and why it’s critical. When you receive your census documents in the mail, please take the 10-15 minutes to participate in this essential count.
ACTIVITY
Outdoor Recreation: There’s still plenty of opportunities to get outside. However, make sure to follow social distancing protocols while you’re out and about hiking and using your local trailhead. For those with kids, backyard camping can be a great way to introduce them to the outdoors and break up the monotony of being stuck at home.
ACTION
Write to elected officials: We often ask you to write, email or text elected officials to encourage specific decisions, but it can also be valuable to write a personal letter about your values. Each member of your family can write a personal letter (or draw a picture for the little ones) to show elected officials why you value public lands, clean air, and clean water. Find your legislator.
ACTIVITY
Take a virtual tour: Many museums have added virtual tour options in recent years, to give everyone the opportunity to “visit” from home. One of our favorite options is the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. KTVB also compiled a list of international museums to explore and VisitIdaho has 360 degree virtual tours.
ACTION
Stay Informed: COVID-19 is likely to change the way elections operate over the next year, so we encourage you to follow CVI on Twitter and join our email list for important updates on how COVID-19 will change the upcoming elections. We will strive to keep you informed so you are able and ready to participate in the 2020 election cycle.
ACTIVITY
Educate your Family: With school closures throughout the state, many parents have had to take on teaching responsibilities. If you are searching for supplemental lesson plans, groups like Grist are producing environmentally focused educational activities.