Did you know there are more than 50 green holidays?
Earth Day is considered somewhat of a “Hallmark Holiday” for most environmentalists. We’re all about living our lives as sustainably as possible—some more than others—on a daily basis. It’s not about perfection, though, it’s about doing our best with what we’ve got. Take me, for example: It makes no sense for me to buy a hybrid car when I already own a somewhat decent 2003 VW station wagon with less than 80,000 miles. If we could afford solar panels, they’d be on my roof right now. I do, however, buy organic food and limit my family’s meat consumption whenever possible. You’ll find absolutely no plastic baggies or storage containers in my house, but you’ll see the environmental-disaster-waiting-to-happen keurig single-cup coffee machine on my kitchen counter (a gift to my son purchased by my hubby, despite my pleading against it). Fortunately, they drink the coffee only on weekends.
I’m happy there’s an Earth Day—it’s important to remind the world that the Earth is worth celebrating and that there are things we can do to help make the world safer for future generations. What better day than Earth Day to kick off a new eco-resolution, whether it’s switching to eco-friendly home cleaning products and organic food or adding solar panels to your roof. Or maybe you’re ready to go meatless on Mondays. Or use reusable shopping bags every time you go shopping.
However, Earth Day isn’t the only environmental holiday.
Here’s a list of more than 50 green holidays you could celebrate virtually every day.
Green New Year’s Resolution – Jan. 1 (a made up holiday, but why not participate?)
World Wetlands Day – Feb. 2
World Sparrow Day – March 20
World Forestry Day – March 21
World Water Day – March 22
World Meteorological Day – March 23
Earth Hour – Last Saturday of March
Earth Day – April 22
Chemists Celebrate Earth Day – April 22
Arbor Day – Last Friday in April (each state also has its own observation based on best tree planting time)
Green Up Day – first Saturday of May in Vermont
International Migratory Bird Day – Second Saturday in May in the U.S. and Canada
Greenery Day – May 4 in Japan (previously April 29)
International Day for Biological Diversity (World Biodiversity Day) – May 22
Bike-to-Work Day – Third Friday in May
National Trails Day – First Saturday in June
World Environment Day – June 5
World Oceans Day – June 8
Global Wind Day – June 15
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought – June 17
World Population Day – July 11
International Tiger Day – July 29
National Wildlife Day – Sept. 4
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – Sept. 16
Clean Up the World Weekend – Third weekend in September
Zero Emissions Day – Sept. 21
International Day of Peace – Sept. 21
World Car Free Day – Sept. 22
Ecological Debt Day (Earth Overshoot Day) – Aug. 20 in 2013 but changes. It’s the (claimed) approximate calendar date on which humanity’s resource consumption for the year exceeds Earth’s capacity to regenerate those resources that year. Since 2001, Overshoot Day has moved ahead by an average of three days per year.
World Rivers Day – Every last Sunday in September
World Habitat Day – First Monday in October
World Vegetarian Day – Oct. 1
World Animal Day – Oct. 4
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction – Second Wednesday in October
World Planting Day – Oct. 22
International Day of Climate Action – Oct. 24
World Vegan Day – Nov. 1
International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict – Nov. 6
America Recycles Day – Nov. 15(ish)
World Soil Day – Dec. 5
International Mountain Day – Dec. 11
Here are special week-long, year-long and even decade-long environmental/ earth related events. Keep in mind, the actual dates vary by year.
National Park Week – April 19-27
Dark Sky Week – April 20-26
Bike to Work Week Victoria
National Clean Beaches Week – July 1-7
Conservation Week
European Mobility Week – Sept. 16-22
Bike Week – Second week in June
Recycle Week – June 20-26
Junk Mail Awareness Week – First week of October
European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) – Nine days, last complete week in November
No Car Day – Week of Sept. 22 in China
United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development – 2005-2014
Water for Life Decade – 2005-2015
United Nations Decade on Biodiversity – 2010-2020
Did I miss any?
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