Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! This milestone is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments taken so far to protect wild animals and wild places, and to look forward to actions we can take for the next 50 years.

Looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day at home? Our AZA partners have many great ideas to inspire your personal Party for the Planet! If we were going to pick one great way for you to celebrate Earth Day, it would be encouraging you to spend 50 minutes in nature today, maybe even inviting nature into your home.

Recharging on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

While Reid Park Zoo likes to think of every day as Earth Day, the holiday serves as a day to recognize the impacts we have on our planet, while celebrating all that the Earth has to offer. It gives us a day to reflect on our everyday actions and see how we are affecting the planet.

Head over to our blog to read more, to reflect on the choices you make every day, and to learn why staying connected to nature is so important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Show Us Your Conservation Actions!

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we want to provide a space for our community to share choices they make at home to protect wild animals and wild places. On Earth Day (Wednesday, April 22) please tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and share a photo of you making an earth-friendly choice at home and tell us what you’re doing! We’ll share them out on our social media in an effort to inspire others to make changes in their own daily routines.

Here are some examples from our community:

Josh, Zoo Keeper (left) A coworker and I volunteer for a community science project as Arizona Master Naturalists! We’re maintaining wildlife cameras along I-10 for a non-profit called the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection! These wildlife cameras along I-10 will help us understand how this highway impacts our wildlife corridors connecting the Rincon Mountains and the Santa Rita’s. Our cameras will help detect wildlife using bridge underpasses and road drainage pipes as a means to overcome this barrier!

Molly, Education Specialist (middle) I reduce my plastic waste by using shampoo bars and soaps instead of liquid shampoo and body wash. Most shampoo bars last longer than liquid shampoo, saving multiple plastic bottles from ending up in landfills and waterways!

Sue, Docent (right) I am recycling/conserving these boxes and papers by donating them to the zoo–to be used for enriching all the animals’ lives.

A Message From Our Conservation Partners

Reid Park Zoo supports conservation researchers all over the world. You can learn more about the projects we support on our website, and hear directly from our partners below!

Want to Do Some Research of Your Own?

Scientific study is not limited to researchers who can travel the globe! All you need in order to do research is a glimmer of curiosity and a desire to learn more about the world around you. Head over to our Zoo Blog to learn about how you can make observations in your own back yard!

Wind Down With an Activity Page

In celebration of Earth Day, we’ve got a very special pollinators activity page! Pollinators are critical to the health of our planet. Celebrate their important work when you download this activity page!