Sustainability Calendar — What’s Happening in April 2021
Helping you to plan climate and sustainability action in April
Welcome to my monthly overview of what’s happening on the Sustainability Calendar. As always the full year-long calendar can be found here. Scroll to the end of this post for the full list of events.
Overview
International Dark Sky Week
International Dark Sky Week takes place in the week of the full moon in April, which year falls between the 5th and the 12th of April. The week aims to highlight the problems caused by light pollution by encouraging us all to get out and enjoy the night sky. As the International Dark-Sky Association says:
Light pollution is increasing at 2x rate of population growth and 83% of the global population lives under a light-polluted sky.
You can find out more about activities and how to get involved on their website.
Related Sustainable Development Goals: 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, 13 Climate Action, 14 Life Below Water, and 15 Life on Land.
World Health Day
World Health Day takes place on the 7th April and marks the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948. Thanks to the pandemic many of us are a lot more familiar with the WHO and their work. This year’s theme “Building a fairer, healthier world” reflects the global impact the pandemic has had, often adversely affecting poorer communities compared with richer ones:
COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been harshest on those communities which were already vulnerable, who are more exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality health care services and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic. (World Health Day 2021)
You can find out more information about the level of inequality, and what’s going on in your region at the World Health Day website.
Related Sustainable Development Goals: 3 Good Health and Well-Being and 14 Reduced Inequalities.
Microvolunteering Day
Microvolunteering Day is a day that sits close to my heart, and aligns with my belief that small individual actions can lead to more impactful change. It is a day to celebrate and demonstrate the impact of “bite-sized, on-demand, no commitment actions that benefit a worthy cause” (Microvolunteering Day).
Related Sustainable Development Goal: 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Microvolunteering Day takes place on 15th April.
Earth Day
The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth”, which starts with local clean-ups, but also includes replanting initiatives, promoting regenerative agriculture, protection of pollinators, and education and communication. You can find out more and get involved at the website.
Earth Day takes place on 22nd April each year, and has been running for over 50 years. It’s ongoing mission is to “diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide.” (EarthDay.org)
This year, the Biden administration in the US has convened a global climate summit to occur on Earth Day.
Related Sustainable Development Goals: 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, 13 Climate Action, 14 Life Below Water, and 15 Life on Land.
Animal Days
This month we have days for aquatic animals (3-Apr), beavers (7-Apr), bats (17-Apr), penguins (25-Apr) and tapirs (27-Apr).
Related Sustainable Development Goals: 14 Life Below Water and 15 Life on Land.
Everything Happening in April 2021
3 April: World Aquatic Animal Day
5 to 11 April: Community Garden Week (no link)
5 to 12 April: International Dark Sky Week
7 April: World Health Day
7 April: International Beaver Day
15 April: Microvolunteering Day
15 April: WCEF+Climate (World Circular Economy Forum)
17 April: Bat Appreciation Day (no link)
# 22 April: International Mother Earth Day or Earth Day (international)
25 April: World Malaria Day
25 April: World Penguin Day (no link)
26 April to 2 May: National Gardening Week (UK)
27 April: World Tapir Day
28 April: Stop Food Waste Day (international) (no link)
29 April: release of “How to Love Animals in a Human-Shaped World” by Henry Mance (note this is an affiliate link through bookshop.org to support local bookshops)
30 April: Arbor Day (US)
Remember the full 12-month calendar can be found here. As always if you know of an event or observance that needs adding to the calendar, let me know. If you see anything marked as “no link” above, that’s because I couldn’t find a link to an official page. If you can please help me to fill the gaps.
Previous monthly write-ups:
