Earth Day 2023 is approaching rapidly! This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet.” Find an event to participate in by visiting the Earth Day 2023 event search page here. Don’t have the day off to partake in an event but want to make some changes to help invest in the Earth? Consider one of the ideas below:
- Take pictures of pollinators. Pollinators include more than just the standard honeybees and butterflies; Florida native pollinators include solitary bees, wasps, bats, birds, moths, and many other insects.
- Buy local produce. Get it from a farmers market, from trades with your rural neighbors, or grow your own food. This helps cut down on food waste as your produce will last longer AND cuts down on the enviromental transport costs from shipping food around the world.
- Turn off lights when they’re not in use. Leaving lights on increase the heat in your home, increasing your cooling costs. Light pollution, especially outdoor lights, have been linked to interference in wildlife habits. Additionally, leaving indoor lights on has been linked to diabetes, mood disorders and an increased risk of breast, prostate, and other cancers.
- Visit this list of 52 ideas to Invest in Our Planet here for more options.
Now is the perfect time to begin planting your garden for the summer haul! April is a good time to transplant gingers, roselle, and tomatoes. If you have any starters ready to put in the ground, now’s the time! April is also a good time to transplant long squash, luffa, papaya, Seminole pumpkin, and sweet potatoes; however, these baby plants are still a little sensitive to the weather, so be sure to watch these transplants carefully after planting them. There is also a number of seeds that can be planted in April including beans (bush, lima, pole), cantaloupes, corn, cucumbers, okra, peanuts, peas, squashes, and watermelons. 
National School Librarian Day is observed internationally on April 4th. The importance of school librarians is often overlooked by the general population. However, since 1992, school library impact studies have consistently shown positive correlations between high-quality library programs and higher student achievement (
Florida State University’s “Flying High” Circus was originally founded in 1947 as an opportunity to help men and women integrate when the university became a co-ed institution. The extracurricular program exploded, thriving off students exploring their skills in more than 20 different circus acts. Students also learn how to rig their own equipment, sew their own costumes, and handle all production aspects for the annual performances. The performances take place under the campus’ Big Top, located near the stadium. 
Jackson County is home to numerous historic sites, one of which is the Historical Russ House. Built in the 1890s, it underwent significant remodeling in 1910. Russ House is one of the most beautiful Classical Revival/Queen Anne homes in the U.S.A. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home is available for rent for meetings, showers, weddings, and more. The house also functions as Jackson County’s official Visitor Center. Interested in renting or scheduling a tour of the Historical Russ House? Contact the home at (850) 482 – 8061. The House is open to the general public Monday-Friday.