Earth Day is just around the corner. Obviously, we should always be finding ways to help conservation efforts. However, this annual April holiday serves as a great reminder to be good to the earth so it can continue to be good to us for generations to come.
If you’re looking for ways to do your part this Earth Day (or any other day of the year), this is the article for you. Here we will discuss the importance of protecting nature, what efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife, and how one might get involved in both big and little ways.
Hopefully this will inspire you to get out there and do everything you can to take care of our world and the plants and animals on it.
The Importance of Protecting Nature
First, let’s discuss why you should do your part to protect the earth so you might have more motivation to do your part in your day-to-day life.
Wildlife
The first reason conservation is so important pertains to all the animals and plants that live alongside us. Animals that we know and love now could easily become a distant memory if we don’t work to preserve their habitats and protect them from harm. Believe it or not, some plants are in the same boat.
Seeing any plant or animal become extinct is a horrible thing. However, it is worth mentioning that losing certain pieces of the eco-system could cause serious problems for us personally, giving us even more reason to ensure we preserve the earth for all of the wildlife out there.
Climate Change
Climate change is already wreaking havoc on the world. The changes in weather patterns have caused countless natural disasters to arise over the past several years, and if we don’t change our behaviors, these kinds of events will only become more common and destructive.
Eventually, climate change could very well leave us homeless and helpless. Taking major action now will help us avoid such a fate.
Climate change is caused by a number of things, but one of the biggest reasons for climate change is air pollution, meaning this pollution is something we should be focused on reducing. How does conservation help to reduce air pollution? It does this in a few ways, including less pollution being put into the air and more plants around to help clean the air.
Human Health
Something that isn’t often talked about is the important role conservation can play in human health. You see, making sure wild animals have a place to call home ensures they stay out of the cities and away from humans, reducing the possibility of diseases jumping from animals to humans.
Additionally, a lot of the medicines we rely on are derived from chemicals that are produced by animals and plants. Therefore, protecting these plants and animals is crucial for human health.
Different Ways to Help Conservation Efforts
Now that you have a better understanding of why conservation of the earth is so important, let’s talk about how you can get involved in conservation efforts. There are several ways to help protect the earth and many are very simple. We recommend choosing a few of these options.
Adopt an Animal
No, we’re not suggesting you take a wild animal into your home. Instead, we recommend a symbolic adoption through an organization such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Donate Money
Of course, you could just donate money to a conservation organization. Paying entry fees at accredited zoos and nature reserves is one way to go about this. Another option is to donate directly to one of the organizations below:
- The Nature Conservancy
- World Wildlife Fund
- National Audubon Society
- National Wildlife Federation
- Wildlife Conservation Society
Volunteer
Don’t have money to give? Time is just as valuable. Many national parks need volunteers. Additionally, there are plenty of accredited zoos and animal rescues that take volunteers. Of course, you could do something as simple (but effective) as picking up litter.
Shop Responsibly
Obviously, you’ll want to avoid purchasing products made from endangered animals. Additionally, it’s good to avoid products made in ways that hurt the environment. Take the time to research what you’re buying, and change your purchasing habits in a way that helps the environment.
Watch Your Waste
Recycling is a super simple way you can help the earth. Make a point of recycling everything you can, and teach your children to do the same.
Even better than recycling is reducing the amount of waste you put into the world to begin with. You can do this by avoiding packaged products as often as possible and reusing items whenever you can. Building a compost bin is also a great way to cut back on garbage.
Lastly, it has to be mentioned that you will definitely want to avoid littering. If you take garbage somewhere, put it where it belongs when you’re finished. No trash can or recycle bin around? Carry it until you find one.
Restore Habitats
You could also help by restoring habitats. How do you do this? One of the best things you can do is plant trees. Growing pollinator gardens in your yard is also a fantastic thing to do.
Drive Less
Driving is one of the worst things we can do to the planet. This is due to the gases our vehicles put out into the atmosphere. Finding ways to drive less is a great way to live in a more eco-conscious way. Depending on where you live and how far you are from things like work, school, shopping, and dining, this might mean carpooling, riding the bus, riding a bike, or simply walking.
Change Your Diet
Finally, we highly recommend making small changes to your diet for the greater good. Eating less red meat is incredibly helpful to the earth. Additionally, growing your own vegetables or finding ways to source your produce locally can be immensely helpful and is often a more healthy way to go anyway.
Avoid Water Waste
The vast majority of people use much more water than they actually need. Make an effort to use less water by turning the tap off while brushing teeth and lathering up in the shower and making showers as quick as possible.
How to Raise Awareness
The ideas above are all wonderful, and we hope they inspire you to get out there and do something. However, in addition to the actions above, we also recommend you do your part to raise awareness.
Talk to Friends and Family
You can start raising awareness about the importance of conservation by chatting with friends and family. Bring the subject up casually and do what you can to make your loved ones aware of the current state of the earth and what we can do to help it.
Host a Club
If you want to take things a step further, consider starting a club of some sort. This could be a neighborhood effort to watch out for and protect local wildlife, or it could be a club for children, where they learn how they can help protect the earth. A Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop would work well for this purpose.
Hold an Event
Special events can be a great way to spread the word about the importance of living an eco-friendly lifestyle. This could be a community volunteer day during which all participants plant trees, pick up litter, and/or do various jobs in a local park, or it could be a fundraising event for a conservation organization.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways you can help keep the earth a happy and healthy place to live. Which changes will you make this Earth day?
