National organization launches new EarthPLAY program dedicated to putting outdoor play back into childhood. Earth Month launches with #Pledge4PLAY crowdfunding platform, 'Share your #PLAYmemory' social media campaign, school-based enriched recess campaign, Earth Week events, free tool kits, and support from David Suzuki, Ken Dryden, Elizabeth May, Raffi and others!
"Outdoor, unstructured free play has been disappearing from childhood for the last several decades," says Deb Doncaster, President of Earth Day Canada. "If the next generation is stuck indoors, how can we expect them to be connected to their communities and motivated to protect the environment?" This is largely due to a lack of stimulating, accessible play spaces, coupled with unnecessary aversion to risk and a narrow concept of education.
