Everyday Eco-Habits to Protect Animal Life this World Animal Day
“We don’t own the planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife.”
Happy World Animal Day! This year, World Animal day falls on October 4th, which makes October the perfect month to adopt some Everyday Eco-Habits that support the wellbeing of animals out in nature and here in our homes. World Animal Day is an international day of action for animal rights and welfare. Let’s delve into why it is so important that we care for animals, not just for their survival, but for the health of ourselves and our planet.
The World Wildlife Fund’s 2024 Living Planet Report found that the average size of wildlife populations decreased by 73% between 1970 and 2020. Some animals need more of our help than others . . . nearly 170,000 species are listed on The International Union for Conservation’s Red List, with more than 47,000 species threatened with extinction. These stats are pretty terrifying, and mean we need to step up our efforts to protect ecosystems around the world that animals rely upon for survival.
To better support endangered species, try adopting a few of these Everyday Eco-Habits from the Endangered Species Coalition:
Learn about endangered species in your area. You can gather information about endangered species at endangered.fws.gov and join the Endangered Species Coalition activist network to get more involved.
Visit a national wildlife refuge, park, or other open spaces that are home to thousands of wildlife populations. If you have followed my blog for some time, you already know that GETTING OUT INTO NATURE IS THE NUMBER ONE EVERYDAY ECO-HABIT I PROMOTE- it’s the easiest to do with the biggest impact.
Make your home wildlife friendly by securing garbage cans with locked lids, feeding pets indoors, reducing water usage, and disinfecting any bird baths in your garden.
Grow native plants in your yard or garden. For more information about native plants, visit https://www.plantsocieties.org.
Slow down your driving and keep an eye out for wildlife.
Recycle and buy sustainably-made products.
Never purchase products made from endangered species such as tortoise shells, crocodile skin, or animal fur.
Another major way we can support animal health is by caring for our pets, like our dog Lilly, more sustainably. Here are some awesome Sustainable Tips for Pet-Owning:
Make your own pet toys to avoid toys made out of plastic and other synthetic materials.
Invest in stainless steel or ceramic food and water bowls instead of plastic options.
Use biodegradable poo bags. You can buy them in bulk from sites like OrizonBio.com!
Correctly recycle pet food packaging. If you need a refresher on what materials can be recycled, check this handy list from the EPA.
As you have hopefully gathered by now, there are countless easy everyday actions we can take to protect and care for animals, both in nature and at home. The rest of this month, let’s focus on taking any of the actions listed, or discover on your own!
By adopting Everyday Eco-Habits for World Animal Day,
YOU are creating small Everyday Eco-Habits
that will collectively have a huge impact on our shared Earth.
Let us know what actions you’ve pledged to take and send us pictures of you in action or tag me on my Instagram or Facebook @kim_ecohabits. And for more information, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter which delivers Eco-Tips like these right to your inbox.