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Member Spotlight | Project Spotlight | Environmental Spotlight Environmental Spotlight Get your official Wildife Habitat Council bracelet and show your support! Purchase a green bracelet imprinted with the phrase "Show me the Habitat!" for only $2.00 each plus shipping and handling. Each order must be in quantities of 5 or more. Visit the WHC Store or contact Whc@wildlifehc.org for more info.
Arbor Day Earth Day, which began in 1970, is now celebrated by millions of people worldwide on April 22 each year. Every voice counts; every action matters. Earth Day is based on the simple philosophy that ordinary people, acting together, can achieve extraordinary things. And WHC has a few stories from our members to share. Here are more great environmental celebrations to mark on your calendar! World Wetlands Day World Wetlands Day is an annual celebration of the vital importance of international wetlands to ecological and human health. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997. Since this time government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These activities include seminars, nature walks, festivals, launches of new policies, announcement of new Ramsar sites, newspaper articles, radio interviews and wetland rehabilitation. The 2010 theme is "Wetlands, Biodiversity, and Climate Change" because 2010 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Year of Biodiversity. Each year, May marks American Wetlands Month, a time to celebrate some of nature's most productive ecosystems. May is the month to recognize and celebrate the wonderful ways wetlands enrich the environment and people. It is a time to give back to the environment by learning more about wetlands and participating in the many scheduled events National Environmental Education Week National Environmental Education Week is a week of “Educational Preparation” for Earth Day on April 22. Every year, millions of students and educators participate in the annual observance of Earth Day. National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is the nation's largest organized environmental education event. Held each April, EE Week promotes understanding and protection of the natural world by actively engaging K-12th grade students and educators of all subjects in an inspired week of environmental learning and service before Earth Day. Join the thousands of schools, nature centers, zoos, museums, and aquariums nationwide who have made a commitment to engage students in environmental learning through participation in EE Week! This year's EE Week theme is Be Water Wise! National EE Week involves thousands of teachers and nature educators and millions of students. It is coordinated by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), in cooperation with hundreds of outstanding schools, environmental education organizations, education associations, state and federal agencies. Serving as an aspiring and disciplined weeklong educational prelude to Earth Day, National EE Week is a huge success and will only grow each year. You can join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing environmental literacy, promote environmental learning, and gain national exposure for your school or organization by registering today at www.EEWeek.org. Questions? Email EEWeek@neefusa.org or call 202-261-6484. Endangered Species Day Endangered Species Day provides for the first-ever national celebration of America’s commitment to protecting and recovering our nation’s endangered species. The goal of Endangered Species Day is simple—to educate people about the importance of protecting our rare, threatened, and endangered animal and plant species. Endangered Species Day will provide an opportunity for schools, libraries, museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, agencies, businesses, community groups and conservation organizations to educate the public about the importance of protecting endangered species and highlight the everyday actions that individuals and groups can take to help protect our nation’s wildlife, fish and plants. With over 1,800 species worldwide now listed as threatened and endangered, and thousands more threatened with extinction unless they are protected, every such public education effort is greatly needed. Here are some projects you can do to celebrate!
Protecting America's wildlife and plants today is a legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren, so that all Americans can experience the rich variety of native species that help to define our nation. World Environment Day World Environment Day, commemorated each year on June 5, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The United Nations' agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. World Environment Day is a people's event with colourful activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essays and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, as well as recycling and clean-up campaigns. National Public Lands Day National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American’s enjoy. National Public Lands Day is celebrated on the last Saturday in September - a day to improve and enhance resources in national parks and forests, reservoirs and other public lands where Americans go to enjoy the outdoors. It is a unique public-private partnership involving many federal, state and local land agencies.
This year the theme for National Public Lands Day is removing invasive species. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. spends $120 billion annually on the control and impact of more than 800 out-of-control invaders that pose a threat to the environment, human health and/or the economy. This doesn’t include the value of native species that go extinct, or the cost of losses in biodiversity, soil erosion, water contamination and aesthetics. Every volunteer who removes invasive species helps keep the toll from rising. Cleanups will take place in parks, forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands, cultural and historic sites and neighborhood areas. The National Public Lands Day Program wants to make sure everybody is aware that ANY PUBLIC LAND can register. In addition to all the federal land management agencies, we want to encourage state and city parks and playgrounds to participate. If you are a volunteer, this is your chance to get active and encourage your local public land agency to get involved in the nation's largest volunteer event for public lands. If you have questions, email Robb Hampton. America Recycles Day Almost everything can be recycled. Your attitude, your actions, can make a world of difference. Let's each do our part. Because almost everything can be recycled except the planet. In many communities throughout the nation, recycling has become a way of life. There are thousands of curbside recycling programs and drop-off stations. Many communities are meeting or exceeding their solid waste reduction goals. Businesses, schools and organizations have made recycling an integral part of their institutional culture. It makes a huge difference to our environment, our quality of life and our country's future. |
