This year, the Purpose Climate Lab partnered with the UN Environment Programme to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th, 2017.
There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that when people spend time in nature and have a connection with a special place that matters to them, they are more likely to want to protect the environment. That’s why on World Environment Day we asked people to go outside and share a story or a photo of a place that matters to them.
Gisele Bundchen and Don Cheadle joined the global call to action, sharing their favorite place in nature and encouraging others to get outside and celebrate what matters. Their faces beamed across Times Square for 10 days leading up to World Environment Day.
#WorldEnvironmentDay – Connect with Nature
June 5th is #WorldEnvironmentDay! Join Gisele Bündchen and Don Cheadle – connect with nature and share a photo of the place that matters most to you: http://bit.ly/2qoODYC
Posted by UN Environment Programme on Saturday, June 3, 2017
Source: Instagram, Footage Films
Across the world people shared their photos and stories of the places that matter to them, submitting over 35,000 photos to the album and holding close events to clean up a local beach, plant trees or learn more about their local ecology. Partners such as Global Citizen, MTV, and Earth Justice helped spread the message, increasing the campaigns reach by 5.5 million people.
On #WorldEnvironmentDay – and every day – let us cherish the planet that protects us – @antonioguterres https://t.co/geWyaUMxBS pic.twitter.com/laBYHtv700
— United Nations (@UN) June 5, 2017
Let's all connect with Nature ~ #MissEarth 2016 Katherine Espin's #WorldEnvironmentDay video message. #WithNature #BeautiesForACause #EmpoweredToMakeAChange UN Environment
Posted by Miss Earth on Monday, June 5, 2017
UNEP also partnered with to get people everywhere contributing to science by taking photos and describing local plants and animals. Nature is changing quickly around us. To help keep track of our precious wildlife, iNaturalist asks people to get out and record the wonders of biodiversity in their own backyards. From the rarest butterfly to the most common weeds, iNaturalist shares people’s findings with the scientific community to support conservation efforts around the world.
Whether it’s forest bathing in Japan or spending time in your own backyard, every moment #WithNature is proven to be good for you. Look out for next year’s World Environment Day, and until then, get outside!
for Equity & Evidence