Author: Lisa Mungovan

Danilo Schwarz and Meire Matayoshi started making origami dogs, to bring awareness to the large homeless dog population in Brazil. The folded paper sculptures grew into the world’s largest display, of origami dogs. Matayoshi, a professional origamist in Sao Paolo, taught Schwarz how to make them. They created 1,010 dogs in a rainbow of colors.

Wearing face masks helps prevent the spread of COVID, but the disposable masks are not great for the Earth. Researchers in Australia, have found a use for them. When discarded masks are added to road-paving mixtures, they make the road more flexible and durable, and less expensive. What a great way to recycle them.

Today is Take Your Child To The Library Day. Spend some time exploring your library. Look for a new book by your favorite author, check out a book on crafts or science experiments, or read a biography about someone you’ve never heard of. You can even get your very own library card. Have fun!

Today is Chopsticks Day. These simple eating utensils have been used in China since 1200 BCE, where they now produce 80,000,000,000 disposable pairs-per-year. If you don’t know how to use chopsticks, ask someone to teach you. You might need to buy light-up light saber chopsticks, to practice. After all, reusable chopsticks are better for the environment!

It’s National Frozen Yogurt Day, and many yogurt shops are having buy one get-one free specials, like Sweet Frog, 16 Handles, and TCBY. If you prefer frozen cream, it’s also Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. I made a mistake, and thought it was last Monday, but I’m sure you won’t mind celebrating it again.

In 1967, Paul Grisham was stationed in Antarctica, as a meteorologist in the US Navy. He lost his wallet while he was living at McMurdo Station. 53 years later, his wallet was found, in a building that was being demolished. He never expected to get it back, because he didn’t even remember losing it!

Artist Daan Roosengaarde, has created a dazzling display in an unlikely location. His installation, called Grow, is a glowing installation in a field of leeks. Certain spectrums of light, help plants grow, so Roosengaarde projected beams of red and blue light onto the vegetables. The light show is both beautiful, and beneficial to crops.

With the crazy temperatures some places have been experiencing, it makes you thankful for weather forecasts. Today is Weatherperson’s Day, so thank a meteorologist for letting you know whether to wear snow boots or flip-flops! It’s also Western Monarch Day. Plant some milkweed, to help the beautiful butterflies survive their annual 3000-mile migration!

Today is Bubble Gum Day, which encourages schools to let kids chew gum for a day, in exchange for a donation to charity. People have been chewing gum for more than 5000 years. They started by chewing blobs of wax, tree sap, or bark tar. The first bubble gum, Dubble Bubble, wasn’t invented until 1928.

Today is World Nutella Day. Nutella is a spread made from cocoa and hazelnuts, that tastes yummy on bread. It’s also Chocolate Fondue Day, which is melted chocolate that you can dip everything in. I think I’ll eat strawberries, spread with Nutella and dunked in chocolate! Now what will I have for dessert.