There are many awareness events throughout the year that relate to the environment, climate and ecology.

2024

January

As I’m sure you’ll be aware January is also Veganuary, why not experiment with some vegan food in your diet for the New Year. Appropriately, as we roll out our home energy surveys project across Waverley, it’s National Energy Saving Week from 17th to 23rd January. Also, you might want to help the RSPB with their Big Garden Bird Watch, 26th to 28th January.

February

It was World Wetlands Day on Thursday 2nd February, find out more here. One of our themes for 2023 was sustainable bread, time to try out your skills during Real Bread Week, 17th to 23rd February, find out more here.

March

Sunday 3rd March, is World Wildlife Day, the theme this year is Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. The 7th Global Recycling Day is on Monday 18th March, they have some interesting resources as well. Thursday 21st March is the International Day of Forests, a day to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and Friday 22nd March is World Water Day, the theme this year is Water for Peace. It’s the World Meteorological Organisation’s, World Meteorological Day, on Saturday 23rd March and, finally in March, Saturday 30th March is International Zero Waste Day, there’s a nice little UN video on e-waste.

April

Monday 5th April is the UN’s International Day of Conscience, in a sometimes troubled world Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience is something I’m sure we can all align with. Of course, many of you will be well aware that it is International Mother Earth Day on Monday 22nd April, also just known as Earth Day. This annual event has been held since 1970, a sobering fact in its own right, and this year’s theme is Planet vs Plastic; they have some great resources for community groups and schools. Wednesday 24th April is Stop Food Waste Day, they present some revealing statistics on their web-page, for example: 33% of all food produced globally is lost or wasted every year and just 25% of this food waste could feed all 795 million undernourished people in the world. Long supply chains often exacerbate this problem, so if you are luck enough to have a garden, get some ‘crops’ in the ground during National Gardening Week from Monday 29th April to Sunday 5th May.

May

May is a busy awareness month, it’s No Mow May, let the pollinators feast, keep the lawn-mower under wraps for a while. Sunday 5th May is International Dawn Chorus Day, a worldwide celebration of nature’s greatest symphony and, continuing with the bird theme, Saturday 11th May is World Migratory Birds Day, this year’s focus is insects, which are essential for migratory birds as they embark on some awesome journeys. The following day, Sunday 12th May, is the International Day of Plant Health and, as we depend on plants for 80 percent of the food we eat and 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe, let’s get involved – here’s how you can help. Of course, plants depend on water, so support Water Saving Week, 13th to 17th May, despite all the rain, some of our ‘privately owned’ water companies are preparing us for potential hosepipe bans in the summer. Going back to insects, World Bee Day is on Monday 20th May, whilst Wednesday 22nd May is the International Day for Biological diversity. Finally in May, Tuesday 28th May is World Hunger Day, a time to reflect on the disparities that still exist in our world, closely followed by the celebration of a food staple, Thursday 30th May is  the International Day of Potato, who doesn’t love a good spud and, given the weather, they may be in short supply this year.

June

We’re in the middle of British Tomato Fortnight, May 27th to June 9th, a celebration of a fruit commonly grown in the UK and this neatly overlaps with National Salad Week, June 1st to 7th, it’s ‘Unbeleafable’. Monday 3rd June is World Bicycle Day, which is closely followed by UK Big Week, 8th to 16th June: whether you have a pre-millennium bone shaker or a state-of the art electric bike make sure that you give out an outing. Also on 3rd June we have 

Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD) 2024; sadly, butterflies seem to be scarce at the moment.World Environment Day is on Wednesday 5th June which this year focuses on land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future”; take a look at the You Tube video. Saturday 8th June is World Oceans Day, with the theme of “Awaken New Depths”, find out more on the dedicated website. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is on Monday 17th June, you can find more information and resources here and, as droughts can be significant factor in climate-driven migration and displacement, this links withWorld Refugees Day on Thursday 20th June, which is straddled by UK Refugee Week, 17th to 23rd June.

I’m sure we all have concerned about plastic, Wednesday 19th June is World Refill Day – here’s the video on You Tube – and about clean air, Thursday 20th June in National Clean Air Day.  Finally, we have International Day of the Tropics on Saturday 29th June, again watch the video on You Tube.

July

As always, July is Plastic Free, so do all you can to reduce your use of plastic.  Friday 12th July is National Simplicity Day, encouraging us to embrace simplicity in all aspects of our lives including  spaces, finances, time and health. From 24th July to 2nd August it’s Love Parks Week, why not take the time to explore your local parks or, if you do that regularly, maybe see if you can volunteer and support your local park and from 27th July to 11th August it’s National Marine Week, promoting the protection of our precious and sensitive marine environments. Finally, Tuesday 30th July

August

Maybe you’ve found the time this week to enjoy Love Parks Week, 24th July to 2nd August and it’s also still National Marine Week, 27th July to 4th August. Later in the month, we have National Allotment Week, 12th August to 18th August, many of you may well have allotments which, if our garden is anything to go by, will now be festooned with soon to be harvested crops – we had a bumper crop of second early potatoes. Friday 9th August (as well as being my birthday!) is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, I think we all know that indigenous peoples have suffered disproportionately in the climate and ecological crisis, and then Monday 19th August is World Humanitarian Day.

September

Of course, its Organic September, promoted by the Soil Association, a celebration of the organic movement which is built on the principles of health, ecology, fairness and care, and it’s also Sourdough September, who doesn’t love a little sourdough – well that might be controversial – 
lots of help on the web: All You Knead, The Sourdough Kitchen. It’s the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on Saturday 7th September: air pollution is one of the biggest environmental health risk of our time. Continuing with the atmospheric theme, Monday 16th September is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer which is essential for preserving all life on the planet. Saturday 9th September to Sunday 22nd September is Fairtrade Fortnight, support the Fairtrade movement if you can. 

It’s World Clean Up Day on Friday 20th September, there were 19.1 millions participants from 198 countries / territories in 2023, lend a hand to exceed these numbers in 2024. This also also heralds the start of the Great British Beach Clean promoted by the Marine Conservation Society. Finally, Sunday 29th September in the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction, globally, around 13.2 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail.

October

Of course, it’s Urban October, promoted by UN Habitat, 31 days of promoting a better urban future, Monday 7th October is World Habitat Day, this year’s theme focusses on: Engaging youth to create a better urban future, and Thursday 31st October is World Cities Day, which has a similar, youth focussed theme: Youth leading climate and local action for cities. Linked to the urban environment, Monday 14th October is the start of Recycle Week, many of you will be avid recyclers anyway, but it always worth re-visiting the issues.

Friday 4th October is No Disposable Cups Day, if you haven’t done so already it’s the perfect incentive to invest is a reusable coffee cup. This co-incides with World Animal Day which concerns: Raising the status of animals to improve welfare standards around the globe. For those of you with chickens, like us, Friday 11th October is World Egg Day leading onto Wednesday 16th October which is World Food Day, promoted by the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation; this year’s theme is: Right to foods for a better life and a better future. Related to this on Thursday 17th October is the UN’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, this year focussing on: Ending social and institutional maltreatment, acting together for just, peaceful and inclusive societies which appropriately coincides with World Values Day, linking nicely with our recent Climate Club theme on ethical consumption.

November

Watch out for events related to the Global Donut Days, from 6th to 9th November; Doughnut Economics is a concept developed by Kate Raworth and concerns creating a balanced economy which operates within sustainable ecological boundaries whilst ensuring a solid social foundation for all. It’s World Kindness week from 11th to 17th November, which also encompasses UNESCO’s International Day for Tolerance on Saturday 16th November, and Tuesday 26th November

December

Thursday 5th December is World Soil Day; soil is a vital global resource with 95% of our food coming from soil, we need to promote sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition and cover cropping. Also, on 5th December
 it’s International Volunteer Day, so in advance here’s a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who’s volunteered for What Next in the last 12 months.