June 5, 2021 – On this day, 47 years ago, the UN General Assembly announced the observation of the very first World Environment Day. The goal was to bring global attention to the world’s most pressing environmental concerns; over the years, themes such as deforestation, pollution, sustainable consumption, and climate change, have been hot topics highlighted.

This year’s theme is Ecosystem Restoration and will kick off a decade-long effort with the mission of “preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and ocean.” The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration hopes that, through concerted and global participation, restoring the world’s ecosystems can also address poverty and combat climate change.

While undoing centuries of damage seems like a daunting task—because it is!—there are always ways to work locally toward a global goal. Here are a few ways you can support this mission and do some good in your community at the same time:

Comb the beach – According to Conservation International, we dump 8 million metric tons of plastic into our oceans every year. That’s the equivalent of 57,000 blue whales. Grab a friend and some trash bags and hit your local beach, river, or lake and pick up as much trash as you can.

Recycle – More people are recycling than ever, but we can all do better. Wash your plastic and glass containers thoroughly before recycling, double-check with facilities to confirm what plastics they recycle, and buy recycled goods and packaging when you can.

Choose natural fibers – Most modern clothing is made up at least partially of synthetic fibers. Every time we wash these clothes, microfibers make their way into our water systems and they don’t break down. When possible, choose cotton or wool instead of synthetics.

Shop smart – Opt for reusable cloth bags when shopping and choose items with the smartest—or no—packaging. Buy in package-free bulk and never, ever buy a single wrapped banana. (Yes, it’s a real thing.)

Reduce your own carbon footprint – This sounds intimidating, but small changes to your daily life can have a big impact on the planet. This means turning off the lights when you leave a room, turning off the water while you brush your teeth, taking more showers than baths, riding your bike instead of driving, carpooling and using public transportation, and planting flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Celebrate this World Environment Day by picking just one small step you can take to make Earth a cleaner, prettier, more breathable place to be!