Spring has sprung, April has arrived, and it is officially time to celebrate this beautiful planet we call home! While April has been colloquially termed “Earth Month”, most of the environmental efforts this month will probably be channeled into one particular day: April 22nd (a.k.a., EARTH DAY!). The Albatross Designs team likes to use this time of year to reflect, connect, and learn. While most of us are aware of the climate crisis, there are always opportunities to further educate ourselves, expand our knowledge, and show support to the pioneers who are making strides to save our planet. And since one of our primary goals as a company is to make sustainability mainstream, we feel that it is important for us to disseminate as much information and resources about sustainable solutions as possible. So whether you’re planning to celebrate throughout all of Earth Month, during Earth Week, or on the actual Earth Day, here are 5 ideas for activities you can partake in to support our planet:
Read
- There’s something so wholesome and comforting about holding a book in your hands and intaking new information with each page turn. Going as far back as Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962), there has also been a presence of books about sustainability. Over time, this selection has grown, and there is now a wide array of books under the umbrella of sustainability – from the history of trash and consumption; to zero waste guides; to plant-based cookbooks. Here are some of our environmental book picks for this Earth Day:
- All We Can Save edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson
- Garbology by Edward Humes
- Plastic Free by Beth Terry
- Consumed by Aja Barber
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline
- Eat for the Planet by Gene Stone and Nil Zacharias
- Budget-friendly pro tip: Save some money this Earth Day, and instead of buying a new copy of a book, check out your local bookstore, public library, or Little Free Library to see if there are some free or discounted environmental books!
- Tree-friendly pro tip: If you already have an e-reader, like a Nook or Kindle, you may be able to use it to read a digital version of your desired sustainability book. Now, one might argue that tech devices like e-readers are not manufactured sustainably, but if you already own one, you can definitely save some trees by opting for paperless books, should the ones you want be available.
Volunteer
- Earth Day was established to promote education, awareness, and activation! A great way to celebrate Earth Day is by donating your time to a good cause. There are plenty of ways to get outside and help our planet. Here at Albatross, we love spending a sunny day in the sand, cleaning up our beloved California beaches. You can check Eventbrite for local beach cleanups in your area, or just grab a group of friends and head out anytime with some gloves and a bag! You can also check in with local environmental nonprofit organizations, like Sea Hugger, to see if they have any upcoming volunteer events. If you don’t live near a beach, here are a few other examples of volunteer opportunities you can look into:
- River or lake clean up
- Park clean up
- Habitat restoration project
- Wetland protection project
Listen
- That’s right, it’s time to hop on the podcast game! Given how ubiquitous podcasts have become, it’s no question that they would make our list. Most podcasts are free, and they’re often even available on apps that come pre-loaded to your phone. And because they’re so readily accessible, podcasts are a great way to listen to new voices and hear different perspectives from all over the world! The team at Albatross Designs likes to multitask and listen to podcasts while doing other things, like cleaning, cooking, or even enjoying our planet in two ways at once by listening to an environmental podcast while taking a walk. Here are some of our environmental podcast picks for Earth Day:
- Who’s Saving the Planet? (available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
- How to Save a Planet (available on: Spotify)
- For What It’s Earth (available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
- Practical(ly) Zero Waste (available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
- Sustainability & The Sea (available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
Watch
- Over the last couple of years, there has been a growing collection of environmental documentaries that have been added to streaming platforms. This is great because even if you are only subscribed to a single streaming service, there are still plenty of educational film options available! Not only has this added selection made environmental docs more accessible, it’s also opened up new categories. Want to see the impacts of the fast fashion industry? There’s a doc for that. Want to discover the health benefits of a plant-based diet? There’s a doc for that. Want to learn about the ocean? There are many docs for that. Without further ado, here are some environmental documentaries, organized by streaming platform:
*Team Albatross favorite
- Netflix
- Mission Blue*
- Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret*
- A Plastic Ocean
- Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
- Kiss The Ground
- Chasing Coral
- Hulu
- Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story*
- I Am Greta
- Disney+
- Before The Flood*
- Paris to Pittsburgh
- Prime Video
- Blackfish*
- Who Killed the Electric Car
- Food, Inc
Engage
- If you’re looking for a bunch of different ways to get engaged with Earth Day, you should check out our Earth Week lineup! Starting Sunday, April 17th, follow along with us while we host a bunch of fun projects to celebrate the week and show our planet some love. We will continue to provide environmental resources, as well as daily activities (including some pretty sweet giveaways!) to keep the whole family entertained. Follow us on Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our Earth Week festivities!
