Earth Day 2019: “Protect Our Species”

Earth Day is right around the corner. The designated day for people all over the world, from all walks of life to celebrate Earth! On and around April 22, parades, festivals, cleanup events and other beautification projects will be taking place across the globe as more than a billion people observe this day of action.

Historically, Earth Day highlights a different environmental campaign each year designated by the Earth Day Network – a nonprofit organization dedicated to activating the environmental movement worldwide. This year, the focus is on the protection of threatened and endangered species.

Keep Florida Beautiful (KFB) supports this campaign as we work to empower others to take action to improve and beautify communities and environments throughout our state. From litter prevention, solid waste reduction, environmental education and beyond, the initiatives of KFB and our local affiliates have a direct impact on our environment and ultimately help improve habitat for a wide range of species.

As Floridians, we are fortunate to live among an array of unique ecosystems that are all teeming with wildlife. We have pinelands, coral reefs, hardwood hammocks, mangrove swamps, marshes, and scrubs – to name a few. Each of these ecosystems provide food, water, shelter and space for Florida species to survive and thrive. By keeping these habitats clean, green and beautiful, we are helping to protect the species that rely on them – including those that are considered threatened or endangered.

In addition to Florida’s wild spaces, our urban communities also play a vital role in supporting the biodiversity of our state. City and county parks, community gardens, downtown centers and even your own backyard are all spaces that provide habitat for a variety of species. Year round, the cleanup, beautification and outreach efforts of KFB affiliates and hundreds of volunteers statewide help to maintain the quality of Florida habitats, both wild and urban.

With the 2019 Earth Day upon us, we are encouraged to continue to help protect our species – today and every day!