Happy Earth Day

 Here are some Earth Day words from Jane Yolen to help you center your day...      in the very best way.

Video from https://youtu.be/cx-awEhjsKY?si=MgD4wbXtX9TKmLLJ

Earth Day: April 22, 2026

It's April which means Earth Day is on it's way! For some, it's a day to honor and celebrate the Earth. For others, it's a week. For others still it's a month-long celebration....while for others it's a daily mindset.

I always like to think about "darkening my shade of green" when it come to environmentalism and Earth Day, so here are some great resources to check out to make this Earth Day a memorable one!

🌏 EarthDay.org's official 2026 website is always a go-to source of information. This year's theme: Our Power, Our Planet. Here you can find an event, register your event, or find a wealth of resources at their Earth Hub. You'll find toolkits, ways to take action, online quizzes, news/stories, and fact sheets to take your Earth Day knowledge to the next level.

🌍 Population Education is always one of my favorite websites. I love the way climate, population, energy economy, global interests, and more all intersect to build integrated learning opportunities. Their Earth Day Lesson Plans & Resources are top notch for kids grades K to 12 and are divided along grade level bands.

🌎 Check out the Almanac online for some basic information on Earth Day. Plus, you'll find a short quiz to see just how dark your shade of green is to begin with! Additionally there's 10 suggestions of ways to make Earth Day your own in the way you honor it.

🌏 National Geographics Kids also has a wealth on Earth Day at their site, geared directly for elementary students on a wealth of topics.

Image created at canva.com

April 3rd: Jane Goodall Day

Jane Goodall has been a powerful influence on my environmental development since April 4th, 2008. It was a day after her 74th birthday, and she was visiting my new-to-me school: Gibson Island Country School. It was a Roots & Shoots Fair where she was the keynote speaker at this little school on the Chesapeake Bay, and I wasn't sure how I'd won this lottery. 

I was in awe of her level of serene powerhouse, especially when she made her iconic chimpanzee hoot for all to hear. 

Needless to say, I was quite saddened when she passed away last year on October 1, 2025. She's legendary, heroic, a woman ahead of her time, and was a non-stop agent of conservation and environmental stewardship.

To commemorate her lifetime of planetary achievements the Jane Goodall Institute has marked April 3rd as Jane Goodall Day as a global day of action. This year, she would have turned 92 on her birthday. Going forward, April 3rd will be an annual environmental day of celebration worldwide for this humanitarian and UN Messenger of Peace. A holder of hope, we need Jane Goodall's vision, enthusiasm, grit, and perseverance ... now more than ever!

In honor of Jane Goodall Day, you have two tasks today:

1. Learn more about Jane Goodall Day and Jane's legacy here at the Jane Goodall Institute. 

2. Go forth that day with a "Because of Jane, I will..." attitude of action. What can you do that would be "100% Jane Approved" for your neighborhood, community, world around you? Need some inspirational ideas, try one or more of these, and certainly come up with some of your own:

• Plant a tree, a pollinator plant, or some other local flora to support native wildlife.
• Go on a litter-pick up expedition somewhere in your community.
• Spend time outside taking in nature, sharpening your observation skills. 
• Reduce your plastic consumption by planning ahead with reusables.
• Write a letter/email to your local leaders/politicians to work for environmental protections.
• Learn about endangered species and spread the word.
• Donate to a wildlife conservation organization.
• Share the importance of Jane Goodall Day and her vision with friends and family to inspire others to take big or small actions.
• Spread kindness and patience so that ripple of empathy can move forward to others. We certainly need more of that!

Be inspired by Jane Goodall's spirit of hope and action. Because of Jane, what can you do to continue her legacy? What is one small, specific way you can live differently for this shared planet on April 3rd?

Image from https://www.greenteamgazette.com/2025/10/saying-goodbye-to-dr-jane-goodall.html with my photos taken from Jane Goodall's April 4th, 2008 visit to my school: Gibson Island Country School, which later became named Eagle Cove School; video from https://youtube.com/shorts/RguwGQGLyNY?si=Y0hTEAxdDpvHhUdh, quote image from https://blog.sleepingangel.com/jane-goodall-quote/

Earth Hour Tonight: 8:30--9:30 pm Your Time Zone

As mentioned in my last post, the 20th Anniversary of Earth Hour is upon us: tonight. Be inspired. Be present. Do something in that hour to give it planetary power through commitment, knowledge, thought, education, inspiration, stewardship. Be a part of something bigger than you.

What will you do tonight from 8:30-9:30 in your time zone?

Banner from https://www.earthhour.org/resources/brand-resource-center and video from https://youtu.be/AHhq1PtjANQ?si=D9357S36mKeoRNcZ

20th Anniversary Earth Hour ~ March 28, 2026: Choose Your Studio, Make Your Pledge

Earth Hour is March 2026, 8:30--9:30 pm in your time zone. This year commemorates the 20th Anniversary. What began as the inaugural event in 2007 in Sydney, Australia is now marking two decades as a global, environmental movement.

Earth Hour has always been about one powerful, symbolic act: "switching off the lights for 60 minutes to shine a spotlight on our planet." Over the past 20 years (and the last decade in particular), the call has grown bigger to“Give an Hour for Earth.” This call is to highlight that what we do in that one hour can ripple far beyond the glow of an hour of candlelight. 

This year, instead of treating Earth Hour as a one-size-fits-all event, imagine a Choose-Your-Studio Night. Plan and create a 60-minute creative adventure that begins by design and ends with a plan of attack, a creative commitment, and a pledge to go forward making a difference. 

Some studios to consider... pick one, mix or match, and simply find what fits to make the most of your Earth Hour.

The point is not to “do it all” in one night. The point is to start with an entry point that feels and sounds like you. To provide you with some time for reflectionn or creativity. To help you set a realistic pledge and intention. To inspire you to keep going!  

What studio will you choose? What's your pledge going to be? And what will you be doing during Earth Hour 2026?

Earth Hour image from https://x.com/earthhour; Slideshow created by me https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-2PcXE3vsn9dBjjQAGoN4A3hcHtI5qdFRLmnf3ccO-Y/edit?usp=sharing

World Water Day: March 22, 2026

World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance that celebrates water, bringing to attention the global water crisis. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) #6 is to achieve safe water and sanitation for everyone by 2030. This year's theme is "Water & Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows." It highlights how gender equality is tied to safe water and water acquisition... and what happens when they’re not. This also ties to SDG Goal #5 through gender equality. Through both of these, the message is clear: safe water and sanitation are rights, not privileges, for all people and all genders.

Unfortunately, women and girls are disproportionately affected by water problems because of many reasons: unsafe or distant water sources, poor sanitation, and the fact that women are often left out of the decisions about how water is managed. Additionally, women and girls in many countries are the ones fetching the water, walking for hours to access the water. This in turn prevents them from being able to attend school or working in a paid position. It also places them in multiple unsafe situations along the journey, leaving them exhausted and more prone to sickness. It also creates additional issues of sanitation during times when girls and women are menstruating.

Despite the fact that access to safe drinking water is a human right, billions of people worldwide still lack access and safe management of water and sanitation services. Globally unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are responsible for deaths of approximately 1,000 children aged 0-5 daily. 

When communities secure reliable, safe water, and sanitation close to home, you start to see:

• Girls who are able to spend more time in school and less time questing and walking for water.
• Women who are able to take part in paid work, community leadership, and decision-making.
• Health improvements overall--from individuals to families, which then spreads economically in their ability to work and then spreads to their communities. 

By ignoring women’s experiences and their knowledge when it comes to these factors, water systems fail the people who use them most. Women need to be at the table when it comes to these decisions. In doing so, it builds a more hopeful future, one drop of water and one decision at a time.

 To learn more about World Water Day, check out the following resources:

• United Nations World Water Day: Where Water Flows Equality Grows Overview
• UN World Water Day Background Page
• UN World Water Day Fact Page
• UN World Water Day Activation Kit with activities for schools (listed by age ranges), communities, and other ways to actively engage and spread information about the importance of women, water, and safety.
• UN "Where Water Flows, Equality Grows" Posters
• UN Trello page of World Water Day resources 

To find all of these resources in another language, go to the section about 2026 Theme: Women & Gender.

Images from https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day-new/background-new and https://www.unwater.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/WWD2026_Posters_English.pdf and https://www.instagram.com/reels/CyL1C9IpH91/; Video from https://youtu.be/nFpcoji4gh0?si=e3eyf6aPMCaiZ2OF

Squirrel Appreciation Day: Annually January 21st

One could argue that there is a "day" for everything. They just may be right. This week ahead (and annually), mark your calendar: Squirrel Appreciation Day: January 21st!

This annual environmental day was created in 2001 by Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitator from Asheville, North Carolina. 

The reason? She wanted to honor these little scampering scurriers who have a harder time in the winter landing on their next food source.

To appreciate our little furry neighborhood buddies, I used this National Wildlife Federation blog post for inspiration to write this "Squirrel" Acrostic! You can always click that link to learn more!

Scampering about our parks, cities, suburbs, and wooded areas,

Quietly going about your business in our backyards...

Under trees, then up in the branches you go on your quests,

In search of your next snack with those seeds and nuts that fall about.

Routinely one of our wildest mammals we see,

Raiding our bird feeders just a little too often.

Energy-crazed and zipping about, revving up our watching dogs,

Letting us all watch, these furry acrobatic squirrels bounding about.

And here's a little National Park Service social media I ran across about a year and a half ago that I tucked away, for this very day! Hope it makes you chuckle!

For the "Learn more" link above, click here to find out more at the National Park Service.

Social Media screenshot from National Park Service: https://www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice/posts/pfbid0aswwaxzHEzJW5u3iXcyqaYHSboKX5ZK7oDABJ19UBGSha9qLBVzA5GWb1CDZGSj5l; Photo from my back yard, Squirrel Appreciation Day image created at Canva.com

Earth Hour 2025 Is Here... And So Is World Water Day

If you saw my last post, you saw the "Save the Date" for tonight's Earth Hour. (If you didn't, go back and do so to up your learning potential!)

Your mission: Turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30 pm in your time zone. In doing so you take a stand with the environment by being a part of a global event, raising awareness for environmental sustainability, and promoting the importance of conserving energy.

As it happens, March 22nd is also World Water Day, as it is annually. (Earth Hour is usually the 4th Saturday of the March.) This United Nations Environmental Day was created to emphasize the global importance of clean water access to everyone.

This year's theme is "Glacier Preservation.

So perhaps while you are flipping the switch to turn out your lights this year for Earth Hour, you'll stop and think a bit about what a precious resource water is... and of ways to conserve water too!

To learn more, go to the UN World Water Day site and check out their many resources.  You can also check out WWF's list of 8 Water Scarcity Facts.

And, before you leave to go ready yourself for Earth Hour, check out this infographic:

Images from https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day, https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day/resources and https://airtable.com/app94t8jNhtOlADJB/shrcI29B30yOtAbo0/tblHs7wUvNUu12Ex9

Two Species to Love for Valentine's Weekend Ahead

Yes, Valentine's Day is around the corner... and there is certainly a lot to love about that! Hope you celebrate all weekend long!

But also this week ahead--both on February15th this year--we have two eco holidays celebrating some sizable species that need our love too. Celebrate these conservation commemoration days.

World Hippo Day is annually February 15th. Hippos are at a high level of vulnerability on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of endangered species. As the 3rd largest land animal (after elephants and rhinos), they weigh in at over 7,000 pounds. Found mainly in Africa, these huge land mammals have had dwindling numbers because of habitat loss to urbanization and farming (as well as loss of access to the fresh water they need). Likewise, poaching puts hippos at great danger.

World Whale Day, held the 3rd Saturday of February (which this year is February 15th). Since 1980, the Pacific Wildlife Foundation & Greg Kauffman have led the way in honoring and protecting these marine giants. Not only important to ocean ecosystems, whales hold an important place in many cultures as revered creatures and symbols. Their threats come from getting trapped in fishing gear, being illegally hunted, and warming ocean waters from climate change. 

To honor both of these animals and share love with them along with your loved ones this weekend, you can ...

• Learn more about both of these creatures.
• Take time to find a documentary.
• Make a donation to World Wildlife Foundation.
• Raise awareness on your social media about these two creatures.
• Find a way to see them in their natural habitat.
• Support policies that promote their protection and biodiversity.

Images created using Canva.com's Magic tools.

Earth Day: A Week Later

It's a week after Earth Day, and I'm still thinking about it. Really, at this point in the venture, it shouldn't be just Earth DAY...or even Earth WEEK....we should be dedicating some thought and action to it daily.

A friend and former colleague Tim Decker wrote this piece, for 13 Creeks, a local, online publication . I wanted to share it forward here. Based on our past experience, we are fans of *at the least* Earth Month...and you'll see that in his writing. But always good food for thought. 

In it, you get a bit of history, a bit of science, and a bit of philosophy.

My favorite quote:

"How can you celebrate Earth Month, and Earth Day in particular? Enjoy an outdoor activity. Participate in an organized clean-up event, or just pick up trash in your neighborhood or at a local park. Plant a tree or some local plants that attract pollinators. Pledge to limit your use of plastics and fossil fuels whenever possible. Eat local. Shop local. Reduce. Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle."

For more articles on Environmental Stewardship, check out these articles:

• Advocating for Environmental Education By Robyn A. Hill, Ph. D. (April 19, 2024)
  
• Slip Sliding Away by Tim Decker (January 2024)

Image from Music Mound, Ohio. Photo by I. Oliyarnik as posted on https://www.13creeks.com/post/from-earth-day-to-earth-month?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3MiM3HFO3iCnFtFwCRWpGfJySvjNn8kmXoVcaCKii5YeWaemmSOq49xHs_aem_AZu0kX9-r07zb6BkGd-qN-wmf5ZTjOmNESkx6BbhU_juPNHEaxhwRdoZeMpQws8R9_3y0ZchXzB1bjrL0HsrGwi8

Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion

Lately, with life events, I've been living the Meg Ryan Lines in the 1991 movie "When Harry Met Sally" and I've been "trapped under something heavy." 

Given that, I've not been running as "on time" as I'd like. But there's a lot going on in the world eco-wise these days. Please bear with me as I play a little important catch up...starting with Jane Goodall's birthday about 2 weeks ago on April 3rd. 90 years are definitely worth celebrating!

Born in 1934, Jane Goodall is certainly an environmental champion and cheerleader. A primatologist, an ethologist (person who studies animal behavior), an anthropologist, a conservationist, a UN Messenger of Peace, an activist, a trailblazer, and the founder of The Jane Goodall Institute. Not letting 9 decades slow her down, she's currently on a worldwide tour to hit 6 continents this year. Her primary message: "hope through action." She's a phenomenal lady who could be slowing down, but would rather spend her time, energy, and effort fighting the good fight on behalf of our planet. In the days leading up to Earth Day, she certainly is one to celebrate!

And here are some additional tributes to this amazing environmental champion with some of my previous posts--happy belated birthday, Dr. Jane Goodall!

• Happy 80th Bday Jane Goodall!! April 4, 2014

• The Love of Books... And Jane Goodall, August 15, 2014

• Jimmy & Jane (Fallon & Goodall, That is!), Sept 23, 2017

• 60 Seconds with Jane Goodall, May 16, 2020

• A Trio of Messengers of Hope, Feb 9, 2022

Images: Portrait from her Jane Goodall Press kit (OTH0163-02-CREDIT: JGI/Bill Wallauer.jpeg) https://archive.janegoodall.org/portals/presskit?_gl=1*ouonf9*_ga*MTg2NTE2NzMzMy4xNzEyOTMyOTY3*_ga_TJ66KYN8TV*MTcxMjkzMjk2Ny4xLjEuMTcxMjkzMzYzMC42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTQ1MTYwODEyNi4xNzEyOTMyOTY3&_ga=2.129113676.157562142.1712932967-1865167333.1712932967, group photo taken by me on a school visit just a day after her 74th birthday https://www.greenteamgazette.com/2014/04/happy-80th-bday-jane-goodall.html, videos from https://youtu.be/7ZFgtsRpsUM?si=XmTU3ivgKBGd087L and https://youtu.be/wBZEVOuvqi8?si=Ds0t5CAJdnNpnkGF

Earth Hour Is Here: Tonight, March 23 ~ 8:30 -- 9:30 pm

What are you doing tonight, Saturday, March 23 from 8:30-9:30 pm?

Earth Hour is here, during that hour, in your time zone. 

Want to learn more--check out my recent post on Earth Hour.

Best part of being a part of Earth Hour is the highlight of how important one set 60 minutes for one person is when it is multiplied out by hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, globally. It shows the importance of the act of one to make a difference and highlight the importance of our planet. 

Timing really is perfect this year, the day after the annual United Nations Environmental holiday World Water Day--a day highlighting how important it is for people worldwide to have access to clean water. Maybe even paying attention to your water consumption today is a great way to start honoring Earth Hour!

If you are looking for ideas on what to do for you, your family, or your kids, check out these ideas, all from my 2018 Earth Hour post:

• Stock up on candles and light them up as you knock out all your other lights at 8:30 pm.
• Unplug and have some good ole fashioned non-tech time.
• Play a game of night time Hide & Seek.
• Have a candlelight dinner... perhaps al fresco.
• Roast some marshmallows over a bonfire with good friends.
• Take a moonlit stroll.
• Spend some time in reflection and meditation.
• Play board games with your family by flashlight.
• Go stargazing.
• Take a night hike.
• Tell ghost stories.
• Take time having great conversations and quality time with someone you love.
• ...the sky is the limit! Create your own fun! 

Additionally, you can check out the resource over at Earthhour.org:

• Earth Hour's "Give an Hour for Earth" resource bank--lots of great ideas are listed here and you can click through to find things that are in your passion-sphere and wheelhouse.

• Spend your hour learning more either through their fiveEarth Hour Webinars or their page: I Want to Learn More About: Nature Loss & Biodiversity, Climate Change, or the Solutions & How to Help 

• Earth Hour Education Pack--download some kid-friendly ideas to get the whole family involved.

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAPJ4IEs_EY, image from https://www.3blmedia.com/news/earth-hour-2024-wwf-give-hour-earth

United Nations International Day of Happiness: March 20th

"Happiness" is a concept that has popped up a lot lately. Most recently when my daughter was on an academic spring break trip in Spain, and mentioned that everyone, everywhere she visited, seemed happier than we do here in America. 

With school, we are currently just starting our spring break, which of course is the epitome of happiness for teachers and students alike. Moreover, after break, we have a faculty/staff book club starting with Shawn Achor's book The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life. Achor also has a TED Talk on the subject.

About a month ago, I was gifted tickets to see Dr. Laurie Santos at the Baltimore Speaker Series. Santos is a psychologist and professor at Yale, and her "Psychology and the Good Life" course has been Yale's most popular course in 300 years. It currently too is a free Coursera program of 10 modules, which starts March 16th. She also is the creator of the Happiness Lab podcast.

Or maybe it's just the cusp of spring, longer days, blooming flowers, and all of that, which makes me happy too. 

Thinking too about happiness led to me to think about mental health, and how we as an American society are facing a mental health crisis of epic proportions and all-time highs. The post pandemic epidemic.

As I was pondering all of that, I came to find out that here, during my school spring break, the United Nations' International Day of Happiness falls right smack dab in the middle of it--on March 20th annually. First celebrated in 2013, the UN General Assembly aimed in the day to honor and recognize “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.”  It ties to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals and views happiness and well-being as a basic human right. Here is the video introduction including Pharrell William (creator of the song "Happy" speaking about happiness its global impact.

Additionally, the World Happiness Report for 2024 is due out at noon (EST) on UN's International Day of Happiness. In it, it will reveal general overviews of the trends as well as a list in order of the happiest countries in the world. Last year's 2023 report placed Finland at #1 for the 6th year in a row, based on these key features: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and the absence of corruption. This January 2023 article from CNBC also proposes that countries like Finland place a stronger emphasis on the following than we do in the United States: more vacation time for employees, a stronger sense of community, lack of a comparison view of each other, and a tie to nature are key features also at play. Might be something there!

For some ideas on. how to bring a little more happiness into your life, check out the website International Day of Happiness.

Videos from: https://youtu.be/fLJsdqxnZb0?si=sqjhkTy6HjyVwxF9 and https://youtu.be/VMbaOcyDtsQ?si=oQ0nxLIBgNGmuHzj and https://youtu.be/ISRAWFwLoyw?si=ivcy7um7bHEK0ztr, infographic from https://nationaltoday.com/international-day-of-happiness/#:~:text=When%20is%20International%20Day%20of,the%20celebrations%20may%20change%20that!, image from https://www.dayofhappiness.net/

Earth Hour 2024 Is On It's Way--Mark Your Calendar for March 23

Earth Hour is one of my favorite "environmental days."

This year is our 18th one, and I've been writing about it for a lot of those years.

By turning off your lights and/or doing something during the hours of 8:30 to 9:30 pm in your time zone on this Saturday, March 23, you can place a vote toward the betterment of our planet.

To learn more, check out any of the links above, watch the video below, or click on Earth Hour's "About" page.

What can you do to take part in Earth Hour this year? Need help deciding....Earth Hour's links can help:

• Give an Hour For the Earth
• Engage in Your Community
• Earth Hour For Youth
• Learn About the Issues

Video from https://youtu.be/HeX1h24ntZY?si=tMIVngqqs-jiiIeZ, logo from https://www.earthhour.org/

World Wildlife Day ~ March 3rd

March 3rd: The day in 1931 that the United States adopted "Star Spangled Banner" as it's national anthem.

Additionally, March 3 is also the annual date of World Wildlife Day, voted on December 20, 2013 by the United Nations to be an annual environmental date of honor and celebration of wildlife.. This date is significant as it ties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that was signed in 1973.

The 2024 theme is “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation.” The focus is on tying together innovation, technology, biodiversity, and wildlife conservation.

High-level United Nations events taking place at their headquarters in New York City will be live-streamed here on Monday, March 4th.

For some things to do either this weekend or the week ahead (why limit it to just a day or two?) to celebrate World Wildlife Day, click here to check out these 8 items from GoodGoodGood's post from last year.

Video from https://youtu.be/UM63BWdQlXs?si=mJ0htuSZPWIhHwJ_, official poster for WWD2024 from https://www.wildlifeday.org/en/materials

Things To Love This February: World Thinking Day

World Thinking Day is celebrated annually on February 22nd in the arena of Girl Scouts, and has been for 98 years--since 1926. Officially "Girl Scouts" falls in the more largely named "World Association of Girl Guides & Girls Scouts." This is an organization that touches 10 million girls in over 150 countries.

World Thinking Day is a day dedicated to international friendship, and thinking about global issues that impact each other. Themes differ from year to year, but this year's theme is Our World, Our Thriving Future: The Environment and Global Poverty.

Recent themes in years past (which also tie to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) include:

• 2023: Our Planet, Our Peaceful Future
• 2022: Our World, Our Equal Future
• 2021: Stand Together for Peace - Peacebuilding
• 2020: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Whether you are a Girl Scout to any degree or not, thinking about our world, it's thriving future, and how the environment ties into global poverty is an important issue to think about. 

Here are some places you can learn more: 

• World Thinking Day 2024 Activity Guide--A 13 page activity guide which includes the story of "The Power of One Tree."

• WAGGGS.org's The 2024 World Thinking Day activity pack: Our World, Our Thriving Future--Here you can download a 58 page activity pack that includes how environmental issues can be solved through innovation and technology, including learning some environmental skills and tying into the natural world.

• To learn about the history of World Thinking Day, check out their WAGGGS.org official history link: 

Image from https://www.wagggs-shop.org/en/products/world-thinking-day/2024-world-thinking-day-badges

Things To Love This February: February Environmental Days

We all know about your standard February days of Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, and Leap Year this year. Well that's not all that's in store this month. There's also a slew of Environmental Days as well!

Click below to learn a little bit more about each of these February Environmental Days :

• February Environmental Days

• World Wetlands Day: Feb. 2nd

• World Ostrich Day: Feb 2nd (not endangered or vulnerable, but populations declining due to threats)

• World Marmot Day: Feb 2nd (some species endangered)

• World Bonobo Day: Feb. 14th (endangered)

• World Hippopotamus Day: Feb 15th (depending on breed: endangered & vulnerable)

• World Pangolin Day: Feb 17th (endangered--celebrated annually 3rd Saturday of February)

• World Whale Day: Feb 18th (many species are endangered--celebrated annually 3rd Sunday of February)

• International Polar Bear Day: Feb 27th (vulnerable)

Image created at Canva.com

Things to Love This February: #FeedTheBirdsDay & The Great Backyard Bird Count

It's that chilly time of year where some parts of the country are blanketed with either white, cold, or a combination of both. This is the time that animals who have stockpiled their food supply may be running low. It's that time of the year where our neighboring nature creatures are start really having a hard time finding find food. This is especially true for our feathered friends. 

Given that and given that February is National Bird Feeding Month, every year on February 3rd is Feed the Birds Day. The first official one was in 1994, proclaimed by Congressman John Porter, encouraging people to hang their bird feeders to offer food to flyer-by. Additionally, you can help by setting up bird baths for drinking water or birdhouses for shelter. 

Also tying in to all this, the Great Backyard Bird Count is held annually for 4 days in February. This year it is February 16-19. The Great Backyard Bird Count gives you an opportunity to be a citizen scientist. Lowest level commitment to participate: find a 15 minute block of time during those 4 days, then record your findings online at birdcount.org. (As I tell my students: you can always do more!!) Your recorded observations will then help scientists get a flavor of the biodiversity in your area, as well as helping to better understanding of global bird populations. You can always learn more at their website.

Whether you are a tried-and-true bird watching aficionado or a casual backyard enthusiast, you can take part during this last leg of winter. Help pump up those extra calories to help them stay warm and help make their search easier. Fill your feeders and embrace that mantra from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." Make your backyard a fly-through dinner spot for your neighborhood feathered friends this month, especially here on the 3rd of February!

Video from https://youtu.be/6RdXDGcqHTg?si=DNGto7Y_6fy4HOgR, pictures from my backyard, Backyard Bird Count Logo from https://www.ogeecheeaudubon.org/new-events/2020/2/14/the-great-backyard-bird-count-zyx3g, Feed the Birds Day graphic from https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/art/template/79d7cf62b65886934167e721e61b0e25/feed-the-birds-day-design-template

World Blue Mind Day: July 23rd

I love days that are dedicated to the environment. I sporadically write about them (you can click my "environmental days" GTG tag). There's even a whole online digital calendar of days dedicated to it at TerGo's Eco Calendar.

One day that didn't make the TerGo eco-calendar is tomorrow/July 23rd (annually)'s World Blue Mind Day. 

World Blue Mind Day....not to be confused with World Water Day--Annually March 22nd--the United Nations observance created in 1993 that raises awareness about the global water and sanitation crisis.

Likewise, not to be confused by World Ocean Day--Annually June 8th--another United Nations designated day (since 2008) which works to enlighten and engage the public and policymakers about the importance of tending our global oceans for a healthier climate.

Obviously, both of these days are important on their own eco-standing!

World Blue Mind Day was created in 2014 by Wallace J. Nichols with the publication of his book "Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do." It is one of my top 10 favorite books of all time, and I am certainly a fan of the philosophy and science and wellbeing behind the book. Likewise, I gravitate toward water and have written about #BlueMind many times.

The point and purpose of World Blue Mind Day annually is to "soak" up the physical, mental, and spirtual benefits of being in and around water. Wallace J. Nichols says it best here in this short video: 

You can find World Blue Mind Day & Wallace J. Nichol's discussion board event here on Facebook.

For a list of "100 Ways to Practice Blue Mind for Life, Wherever You Are," check out this open post on Wallace J. Nichols' Patreon page. Then, indulge in 1 or 99 of them (or somewhere in between). 

What are you going to do this World Blue Mind Day?

Image from https://www.facebook.com/events/467866881827270/?active_tab=discussion; Video from Blue Mind on the Slow Coast from Dr. Wallace J. Nichols on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/234709602

World Bee Day: May 20th

Since 2017, the United Nations has commemorated May 20th as World Bee Day to draw attention to bees (and other pollinators) to showcase how vitally important they are to our food system. The date was chosen to commemorate Anton Janša, a beekeeper and bee expert from Slovenia (born in 1734).

This year's theme is "Engaging in Pollinator-Friendly Agricultural Production" to heighten awareness how valuable pollinators are to flowering plants--many of which are major food items in our groceries such as fruits and vegetables, and even nuts and seeds. A healthy bee population indicates strong biodiversity, which is important in many ways to our planet's ecosystems....not to mention our human health!

In fact, it is estimated that about 75% to 95% of our Earth's flowering plants need help with pollinations. Yes, bees and butterflies too, but also moths, flies, beetles, wasps, bats, and small mammals can help with this task of moving pollen from one plant to another. Potentially this accounts from anywhere from "1.2 and 5.4 billion dollars in agricultural productivity in the United States." 

"Without bees to pollinate crops, yields on about 35% of agricultural land worldwide would suffer, and 87 of the world's leading food crops would be affected."

To further highlight the importance of bees and Unesco's Women for Bees organization, program godmother Angelina Jolie was in a March 2021 photoshoot of National Geographics photographer Dan Winter's to bring attention to the importance of bees. No surprise, it has resurged this year in honor of World Bee Day.

To learn more, check out...

• The United Nations' World Bee Day homepage
• Protecting Bee's website's 25 Facts About American Wild Bees
  
• The International Federation of Beekeepers' Association
• Apimondia’s Trees for Bees Campaign
  
• For a list of pollinator dependent foods, go to Pollinator Partnership's list of over 30 foods.
• Unesco's Women for Bees website 

Image from https://www.apimondia.org/world-bee-day.html, https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day, video from https://youtu.be/5d5BYpyq79c