As we celebrate Earth Month, we’re reminded of all the ways we can honor, contribute to the wellbeing of, and show up for Mother Nature. Below are just a few ways you can help conserve, preserve and protect the environment!
1) Join or volunteer with an environmental action group near you.
Below are just a list of a few groups that help clean, preserve, and fight for the environment.
- Sunrise Movement -Works to build a movement of young people to end billionaire rule and stop the climate crisis.
- Climate Cardinals – Breaks language barriers in the climate movement so every community can take action and protect their future.
- Sierra Club – One of the US’s oldest grassroots environmental organizations working to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.
- The Nature Conservancy – A global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.
2) Contribute to your local community garden or start your own
Community gardens make food more accessible and promote composting, biodiversity, and community in your neighborhood. You can find a community garden near you here, but if one doesn’t exist, try starting your own!
3) Contact one local decision maker.
Civic engagement is one of the most powerful tools for systemic change. Write or call your local representatives about environmental issues, attend town meetings, or support policies that protect natural resources, land, and animals to enact meaningful climate change. If you need help getting started or figuring out what to say/write, check out the Citizens Climate Lobby.
4) Help the area around you stay clean
This is a great activity that you can do alone or with friends and family (or even your pup)! Pick an area outside near you and pick up the litter you see. You can register for a free cleanup kit from Keep America Beautiful or even track your cleanup progress with the Clean Planet Project app to help make the experience more enjoyable. 
5) Host a clothing swap party with your friends, family, school, or community
Engaging in a clothing swap not only lowers clothing waste in landfills but it also provides the exciting opportunity for your community to shop new looks! You can check out some helpful tips and tricks to hosting a party here!
6) Plant one native plant or tree
By planting native plants – or plants that naturally grow in your area – you support local wildlife, protect soil, reduce invasive species, and improve the balance of the ecosystem. If you’re located in the US or Canada, you can find native plants in your area here.
7) Donate to environmental justice organizations in your community
If you have the means, support an organization who is advocating for the rights of the environment to be protected. Below are just a few examples:
- Intersectional Environmentalist
- Black Farmer Fund
- Climate Justice Alliance
- Indigenous Environmental Network
- Honor The Earth
- Living Lands & Waters
8) Go outside
Studies show that when we connect and engage with nature, we’re more likely to protect it. Being outside also helps improve one’s mental health, reducing stress hormones, which can help reduce the eco-anxiety you may feel.
