Celebrating our planet on Earth Day is fun, educational, and beneficial to our communities. However, sharing love for our environment doesn’t have to be confined to just one day, week, or weekend (and it shouldn’t be!)
For Earth Day 2022, we are highlighting five ways to celebrate our abundance of natural resources and wonders – not just for this one week in April, but in ways that have long-lasting benefits to our planet and to our communities.
#1: Register to vote
State and local leadership guide our ability to protect our air, water, and soil through their policy and allocation of resources. The best way to create long-lasting, positive change in your community is to vote in elected officials who will uplift efforts to safeguard our natural resources. If you are not registered, or you need to update your information, want to vote absentee, or have other questions, visit our Voting Resources page for guidance to be prepared for the polls. We are just about to head into one of Idaho’s most important elections we’ve seen in a decade. Primary elections will be held on May 17, and the General will be on November 8.
#2: Donate to your favorite environmental causes
Local non-profits and community organizations leverage donation dollars to advance environmental initiatives behind the scenes and in the community. Even small donations go a long way in defending our natural resources.
Consider making a gift to Conservation Voters for Idaho. We work year-round to elect conservation champions to office, get out the vote, defend Idaho’s public lands, and actively work with decision makers to advance conservation policy in your community. You can make a donation here – or become a monthly donor here!
#3: Volunteer
A significant amount of conservation and environmental stewardship is completed by volunteer efforts. We have some incredible partners who are always looking for new volunteers:
- Idaho Rivers United
- Idaho Trails Association
- Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
- Boise WaterShed
- Treasure Valley Canopy Network
These organizations (and countless others across Idaho) benefit from volunteers with all sorts of skill sets! If you want to get your sweat on and your hands dirty or you’d like to meet people by community organizing and planning – whatever your skill set, you can help make a difference to Idaho’s outdoors and natural spaces.
#4: Attend an Earth Day event in your community
Our state is deeply ingrained in our natural spaces. Chances are your neighborhood, town, or local business is hosting an Earth Day celebration to entertain, engage, and educate the community on environmental topics. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening this week:
Treasure Valley:
April 22 – 23: Shade City Brewfest at the Idaho Botanical Gardens (Stop by our CVI booth!)
April 23: Flying M Earth Day Pop-up (Stop by our CVI booth!)
April 23: Earth Day Celebration at the Boise Watershed
North Idaho:
April 22: Earth Day party at Inland North Waste in Moscow
April 21 (and ongoing): Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute’s Sustainability Series with the Palouse Nature Center
Magic Valley:
April 22: Earth Day Celebration at the Twin Falls Library
April 23: Twin Falls Earth Day Cleanup Hike
April 23: Earth Day Celebration at the Idaho Falls Zoo
Wood River Valley:
April 23: Earth Day Seed & Plant Exchange at the Wood River Valley Seed Library in Hailey
April 23: Earth Day in Bonni’s Garden at the Wood River Community YMCA in Ketchum
#5: Pick an Earth-friendly goal for the year
It can be daunting to go green in all aspects of your daily life. For this Earth Day, we encourage you to pick just one or two goals to improve your environmental impact, and incorporate them into your routine. This could be pledging to reduce your car travel, or conserving household water; upgrading your home to solar power, or being more mindful of what you put in the trash bin. What inspires you?