Celebrate Earth Day!

Earth Day is an annual celebration of the Earth and its natural environment, observed on April 22 of each year.  The goal behind Earth Day celebrations is to foster appreciation and awareness of the Earth’s natural environment and the threats to clean air, clean water, and biodiversity.  Earth Day originated in 1970 when U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson called for an environmental teach-in.  The movement grew on its own and soon blossomed into an awareness-raising celebration held in several major cities across the United States.  It is now observed by 175 countries.

Many Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) programs will be holding events on or around April 22 to celebrate Earth Day and promote awareness among employees and community members.  There are many great ways to raise awareness while promoting interest in your site’s Wildlife at Work or Corporate Lands for Learning program.

• Host an environmental fair at your site, inviting environmental organizations and government agencies to exhibit.
• Host games, such as a litter scavenger hunt, that promote environmental awareness.
• Invite employees and community members to participate in a bird walk.
• Conduct a trash cleanup in a nearby park or waterway.
• Invite employees and community members to participate in habitat enhancement projects, such as building nest boxes or pulling non-native, invasive plants.

WHC will be participating in local Earth Day events around the DC Metropolitan region.  One of these events is the Earth Day celebration at Erickson Retirement Communities’ Riderwood site, which will have displays about the program’s habitat-related activities and other green initiatives, as well as a native plant sale.

If you would like help designing an Earth Day celebration for your site, please contact WHC’s Education and Outreach staff at CLL@wildlifehc.org or by calling the main office at (301) 588-8994.

Read more WHC blogs.