The start of Earth Day

The first Earth Day was held on the 22nd of April, 1970, in the US, with more than 20 million people getting involved nationwide in events to raise awareness for protecting our environment. Since then, Earth Day has evolved and is now celebrated worldwide with various events like beach or park clean-ups, sponsored walks, rallies and sometimes concerts. All these events are designed to raise awareness for helping the environment.

But what can we do at home to celebrate Earth Day that we can even do any day? Here are a few suggestions…

1. Wild gardening

Why not turn a patch of your garden wild, or if you don’t have a garden turn a window box wild!

Our pollinators need all the help they can get, so have a go sowing some native wildflowers, or leave a patch of your lawn to grow!

Here are some handy ideas to help you create a garden that can help our wildlife >>

2. Litter picking

Are you heading out for a walk? Take a bag with you and pick up some litter that otherwise could destroy habitats or even get ingested by our wildlife.

Make sure to be careful, though, with anything sharp, like broken glass. It's a good idea to wear gloves and use a litter picker!

3. Recycling-reducing-reusing

Following on from the last one, the three R’s help our habitats from the damage of our plastics and other waste.

Many of us know the damaging effects of plastic and other artificial materials, but recycling correctly means that the plastic doesn’t end up in the wrong places.

Here are some ideas for recycling and reusing >> 

It is also really good to reduce waste. A simple way of helping this is being aware of what the stuff we buy is packaged in. Some companies are trying to switch from unsustainable packaging to more sustainable packaging, so keep an eye out for this next time you're doing your shop!

Here are some ideas for using less plastic >> 

4. Save electricity

Something relatively simple, but have an hour or more with no electricity!

This one is great for the family and something my family and I enjoy as it encourages us to spend more quality time together by turning off our phones, tablets and consoles and doing things that allow us to have our electricity off (it also is great for reducing costs!)

So go round the house and turn those switches off and find some activities to keep you occupied like doing some art, read a book or get outside and do some gardening

Here is some more information on your energy use >>

4. Volunteering!

Volunteering is a great way to do your bit for the environment and a great way to meet like-minded people from all sorts of backgrounds!

From surveying to getting your hands dirty with practical conservation, you can do all sorts of things to get involved.

Volunteers are a valuable part of conservation, and everyone is welcome, so have a look and see if you fancy having a go at anything.

Discover volunteering with Surrey Wildlife Trust >>

5. Shout about it!

I don’t mean actually shouting but letting people know what you are doing to help our planet. Share your experiences with nature and inspire others to get involved.

Many hands make for light work, so the more people we can encourage, the better!