9 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day
- Calculate your impact on the Earth by using this fun ecological footprint calculator, and make lifestyle changes accordingly. https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en
- Sign the petition urging President Biden to create a National Biodiversity Strategy that puts #NatureFirst! https://www.protectbiodiversity.org/
- Test your knowledge by taking a fun and interactive quiz like this one on wildlife and happiness that Earth Day Network and OneNature created: https://www.earthday.org/nature-and-happiness-quiz/
- Join the One Nature newsletter using this link: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/yGK4PsKAGt3LLL0C0tRogA
- Donate to One Nature or your favorite Earth Day-related cause or organization! https://onenatureinstitute.org/support-our-work/
- Read about various initiatives and the importance of climate change mitigation using this link! https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/
- Shop local and/or avoid online shopping for a week to reduce carbon emissions from your favorite products!
- Participate in Meatless Mondays! Taking one day out of the week to eat a plant-based/vegetarian diet can significantly lower your carbon footprint and overall impact on the Earth without the long-term commitment!
- Get outside and get in touch with nature by taking a walk or enjoying your region’s parks and open spaces! Research shows that connecting to nature and the Earth can increase well-being and the desire to protect the environment. This feeling of connection creates “pro-nature” behaviors of wanting to be in and protect nature. Gardening, walking in nature, and listening to the bird calls are all activities that help create this connection to nature. This feeling of connection can also inspire positive feelings about global nature conservation.
Why Earth Day is Special
Though we at OneNature like to appreciate the Earth every day, Earth Day is special. Since the first Earth Day event in 1970 (which is also considered the establishment of the modern environmental movement), April 22 has been commemorated as a day to reflect and act on stewardship for the environment.
This Earth Day, the climate crisis, and the need to protect wildlife and wild spaces to prevent future pandemics are two areas of concern for many.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report, we only have a few years to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Scientists have warned that if global warming reaches above 1.5 degrees celsius, we will experience devastating and irreversible climate disasters.
COVID-19 is a devastating example of the impacts that exploitation of wildlife and wild spaces can have in contributing to increased risks of diseases that can be transmitted to people through close contact with nature.
At OneNature we believe that the solutions for the climate crisis and protecting biodiversity and wild spaces are linked.
Solutions can create greater well-being for people by focusing on what matters and shifting away from the unsustainable consumption of resources from the Earth in the quest of amassing ever more stuff that we think will make us happy – for the moment.
This Earth Day is a great time to start thinking about how you can increase your happiness and help the Earth simultaneously. Here are a few suggestions about how you can get started.
Enjoy Earth Day!