This year, the conference — known as Science in My Life — officially partnered with EARTHDAY.ORG, landing on the map as one of many global Earth Day initiatives. It took on the 2026 theme Our Power, Our Planet and involved student presentations devoted to climate-friendly and sustainable technologies and innovations, which stemmed from their education at the university. 

The conference was first started as an initiative for local physics students by Natalia Bilonozhko, an Associate Professor of Philology at the university. In the following years it ended up growing exponentially, including faculty and students from other departments and institutes. 

KNU described the conference’s focus as “formation of an environmentally responsible scientific identity in the face of modern global challenges and uncertainty”, many of which are directly affecting the university during wartime. 

Nadiia Seryogina, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department, opened the conference with a speech describing the importance of preserving the environment and recognizing the various issues surrounding it, especially during wartime, which is uniquely destructive.

She emphasized Earth Day’s significance as not only a symbol, but a reminder of responsibility to the planet in the face of its continued devastation. She also recognized the significance of young scientists, who are next in line to take on the role of its protectors, a sentiment echoed by their actions. 

Throughout the years, the conference and those involved with it chose to persist, despite the many difficulties that were thrown their way — they were even interrupted by air raid alarms and were forced to move to a bomb shelter, which was where they completed the symposium. The conference lasted almost five hours and consisted of non-stop participant engagement, a reflection of the attendants’ devotion to their cause. 

Even through the harrowing threat, the students and faculty demonstrated determination and resilience by continuing their work, which looked to a hopeful future by its emphasis on the development of environmentally conscious benefits to society. 

The students’ presentations included reports on potentially transformative ideas, including prospects of hydrogen as a clean fuel, sustainable transport, and studies on environmental consciousness in young people, amongst many others. 

Maksym Hromov, a physics postgraduate student, described the conference as a pivotal opportunity for those involved, as it builds awareness of global issues, supports presentation and public speaking skills and allows them the ability to study and solve critical environmental challenges. 

Some presentations, he noted, were prepared to an impressive level, and were even advanced enough to serve as foundations for scientific publications. 

The Earth Day movement, driven by EARTHDAY.ORG, extends around the world, connecting all those who are part of the ongoing fight to protect our environment. You can stay updated on related news and events by signing up for our email list, or checking out our socials on X, Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. 

For individual actions you can take, check out our list of 50 Easy Ways to Help the Planet Every Day.

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Birdwatching has recently surged in popularity across the world, especially among younger generations. In fact, research has shown that it’s Gen Z’s second fastest growing hobby. 

Many have turned to the pastime as a way to reconnect with nature and reduce stress levels, and it has other potential health benefits as well: some studies demonstrate its potential to help slow age-related cognitive decline by acting as a brain exercise. 

Moreover, the little equipment or experience needed makes the hobby accessible to everyone — all you really need is the presence of birds. Unfortunately, their populations are declining due to a variety of issues, including habitat and environment degradation, climate change, and, more directly, plastic pollution. 

Why is Plastic Pollution Such a Big Problem? 

Birdwatching and birds themselves are not the only victims of plastic pollution. Outside of being beloved to birders, birds play an important role in many  environmental and ecological processes. 

For one, birds are significant contributors to the health of plant populations. They pollinate, fertilize, and disperse seeds across continents, which promotes plant reproduction and supports the growth of the forest and foliage that serves as habitats for other species. 

The ecological importance of birds also extends to health issues. For example, research has shown that when vulture populations decline, humans are increasingly exposed to disease-causing bacteria and pathogens. This trend occurs due to the increase in the presence of animal carcasses, which vultures would normally remove from environments. Bacteria from these carcasses can enter water systems and turn into a serious threat to human health. 

Humans also rely directly on certain species of birds for certain tasks. For example, foragers in multiple regions in Africa have relied on the Greater Honeyguide to lead them to honey, while various types of birds can provide pest-control on farms by eating common nuisance insects, like coffee borer beetles. 

So when we lose our birds, we’re not just losing their aesthetic or emotional value — we’re also losing all of the extensive good they do for us and our environment. 

The Importance of the Past

Bird populations have been threatened by human-caused events throughout history, some of which have been devastating. Oil spills are one example, killing thousands of birds with each incident. The 1969 Santa Barbara spill, for example, led to the deaths of an estimated 3,600 birds. 

Another particularly infamous case was the chemical DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) which was commonly used as a pesticide and led to a decline of bird-of-prey populations, resulting in imbalance in affected food chains due to a lack of predators. 

But while threats to birds and their habitats exist, these events have also inspired real, feasible progress towards conservation. After the 1969 oil spill, there were extensive clean-up operations and a new-found attention to ecological issues that included the eventual creation of Earth Day. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring highlighted the dangers of DDT and became one of the most influential texts in the environmental movement as well as a catalyst for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency,

 In today’s environment, one of the biggest threats to birds is the increase of plastic pollution. Our next step should be following environmentalists  who came before us and putting together the next solution.

The Problem With Plastic

There are a number of reasons that plastic poses a large threat to birds, including entanglement, exposure to chemicals and, most especially, ingestion. In 2015, it was estimated that nearly 90% of seabirds consume plastic. By 2050, that number is projected to increase to 99%, which is virtually every seabird on the planet. 

Birds eat plastic both directly and indirectly by eating prey that has already consumed it. Plastic consumption can cause serious ailments, leading to lack of proper nutrient consumption and gastrointestinal obstruction/organ damage. Plastics can also find their way into nests and cause severe damage. Chicks are prone to entanglement, which can prove fatal due to strangulation and the infections they cause. These issues have been observed worldwide and occur in both aquatic and terrestrial birds. 

PULLQUOTE: “Given that birds in particular mistake plastic for prey, macroplastics or MPs have been found in the gastrointestinal tracts, feces, and even in feathers and other tissues or organs of several hundred avian species from freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems.” – Limin Wang et al. 

Plastics, which can take up to and over a thousand years to degrade, end up permanent fixtures of bird habitats, making exposure dangerously common. They’re also extremely widespread, with an estimated 12 billion tons of plastic waste expected to be found in the environment by 2050. 

These numbers are intimidating, but we should note that even the tiniest efforts add up over time. The easiest way to begin helping the birds we love can be as simple as saying no to a plastic bag. 

What can you do to help?

One way to start is by learning more about the effects and origins of single-use and disposable plastics. Knowing where they come from is the first step to identifying what you can do to cut down on them. Plastic water bottles, packaging, and plastic bags are especially prominent pollutants, but they’re also not too difficult to cut out of your life. 

Reusable bottles, kitchenware, and bags are great ways to reduce plastics while keeping the everyday items you need. As for the plastics already in the environment, getting involved in local clean-up efforts can help clear affected areas and boost community engagement. If there aren’t any around you, consider starting one! Every movement, no matter how small, makes a difference. 

Birdwatching is just one of the many aspects of our lives that rely on the presence of these fascinating, loveable creatures. If they’ve helped you alleviate the stress from work, find friends, or even just given you some small amount of joy, consider paying it back — it could mean saving their lives.

Check out our End Plastics campaign for more information and ways to take action, like calculating your plastic footprint or signing the Global Plastics Treaty petition. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at woods@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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Bees, butterflies, and moths are typically beloved images of what we commonly know to be pollinators. However, the insects we often look at with distaste — those like mosquitoes, wasps, and flies — are actually also important pollinators in their own right. 

Bees and the like are incredibly critical to ecosystems, providing plants and crops we rely on with the pollen they need to reproduce. However, it’s also important to shed light on the other creatures that affect our environments, ones we often try to get rid of because of their reputation. 

They do a lot more than incessantly annoy us by supporting plant reproduction through plant pollination worldwide. In honor of national Pollinator Week, here are some less appreciated pollinators and the surprising benefits they have for ecosystems around the world. 

Over-Hated Garden Dwellers 

Flies are famously disliked in households worldwide.They’re often considered a nuisance, not doing much other than buzzing around where you don’t want them to. Surprisingly, despite how we see them, it’s actually been determined that flies are the second-most important pollinators, right after bees. 

The fact is flies are necessary for the health of plant populations across the world, including crops — According to a research article published by biology researchers from the University of Exeter, they visit around 72% of global food crops, cross-pollinating between plants and ensuring reproductive success.

Flies are incredibly diverse, species and habitat wise. Hoverflies are a specific family of flies, made up of over 6,000 different species, as detailed by a 2024 University of Georgia field report. They can be found on and across various continents. These flies play a valuable role in pollination and pest control, as they frequently visit flowering plants and naturally prey on destructive pests like aphids. 

A 2019 study observed hoverfly migration in and out of England and continental Europe, reporting billions of hoverflies seasonally migrating. The massive numbers of flies leads to significant pollination across land-masses, and this redistribution of pollen supports the reproduction of plants, including popular crops like sweet peppers, strawberries and onions. 

Certain types of flies can also be major players in the creation of beloved foods like chocolate. Tiny flies known as midges are the sole pollinator of cacao trees, making them critical to the chocolate industry. Cacao flowers, which have small, intricate openings, can only be entered by midges due to their miniscule size. 

Even with midges, due to the complex nature of the plant and its reproduction process, only 10-20% of the flowers actually get pollinated. Without midges pollinating cocoa flowers, the plants would be unable to produce the seedpods used to make chocolate.

 In short: no flies, no chocolate. 

A Common Menace 

People tend to live in terror of wasps. To some, even the sight of a nest’s stalk being built is a sign to call the exterminator. Of course, this isn’t unfounded, considering that wasps are notorious for being aggressive. What’s lesser known about them, however, is their tropical family members’ prominence as specialist pollinators, that focus on pollinating a narrow variety of plant species. 

Many of these plants are important in their own right: Figs are a well-known and well-loved fruit, of which there are almost nine hundred different species. They’re more than just fruits, though. Figs actually act as a keystone species, due to the significant number of animals and insects that depend on them for sustenance year-round. A 2018 study even documented that certain species of figs can help support declining bird populations, by providing them with a reliable source of food. 

Fig wasps are a small, often overlooked species of wasp. The two native to the United States are unnoticed to the point that they have no common name, only a scientific one: Pegoscapus. Figs and Fig wasps have a mutualistic relationship, meaning that both species generally benefit from their exchanges, though a first glance might say otherwise.

When a fig’s flowers (which are actually inside the fruit) are ready to reproduce, they attract female wasps, who crawl into the fruit through a small opening— it’s so small that while entering, the wasp will lose its wings. As the wasp crawls around to lay its eggs, it spreads the pollen it collected from the previous fig it was in. The flowers can then reproduce while the wasp, done with its job, dies within the fig.

While it sounds like a morbid exchange, it allows the wasp’s eggs to grow in a safe environment where they can hatch before continuing the cycle. This relationship maintains both populations and indirectly supports other species who rely on figs. 

Not all wasp pollination requires the death of the insect, however. Other species of wasps promote pollination the same way many other pollinators, including flies, do — they feed on nectar to support their energy levels, landing on flowers and collecting pollen in the process. As they travel from plant to plant, the collected pollen is transferred between flowers, fertilizing their seeds. This is commonly known as “incidental pollination”, a process butterflies and moths also take part in. 

The World’s Most Hated Insect 

It’s a well-known fact that mosquitoes are widely hated, and not without good reason. One particular species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti, might well be one of the most dangerous insects in the world, as a past carrier of yellow fever and the Zika virus. 

However, like any other creature, there’s a large diversity of species within the mosquito family, and some can actually be beneficial to both humans and the environment. There are around 3,500 species of mosquitoes documented worldwide, and only about 3% of those species are able to transmit diseases. 

Take, for example, the elephant mosquito, or Toxorhychites rutilius, which is found across a broad range of the southeastern United States. Rather than feeding on our blood, these giant, colorful creatures prefer plant nectar, pollen, and even the larva of other mosquitoes, and as they buzz from meal to meal, they pollinate flowers along the way, collecting and transferring pollen between the plants that host the substances they feed on. 

Another type of mosquito, Aedes Communis, commonly known as a snow pool mosquito, is a critical pollinator of blunt-leaf orchids. Found across the North of the United States, Alaska, and Canada, this mosquito does feed on blood to sustain the development of its eggs, but it also commonly feeds on nectar.

 As it feeds, it collects pollen from one flower and transfers it to the stigma of another, effectively pollinating the orchids and allowing them to reproduce. Blunt-leaf orchids are also important to ecosystems — they often indicate the presence of the many protected species they grow in tandem with. 

Now, it’s important to note that the details about mosquito pollination are still being studied, and there’s not much concrete information about what their pollination patterns, preferences, and effectiveness are just yet. That being said, researchers have drawn tentative conclusions about mosquitoes being potential nocturnal pollinators, due to their observations of significant mosquito presence around flowers at nighttime, rather than during the day.

 Professor Helen J. Young conducted a study that blocked flowers from pollination during daylight and evening hours, and found that the flowers that only received nocturnal pollinators (which operate similar to mosquitoes) produced twice as many seeds.

So, while we’re still learning about mosquito pollination, it’s safe to say that they do have a purpose other than just spreading disease and generally annoying people. 

The Surprising Reality

Not all of the insects we know as “pests” are deserving of that title. Flies, wasps, and mosquitoes are just a fraction of the thousands of non-bee pollinators that exist and are essential to plants around the world. An estimated 35% of global food crops and 75% of the world’s flowering plants rely on pollinators to be able to reproduce and continue population growth. 

While some insects are certainly a threat to gardens and human health, there are many that are wrongly implicated, ones our environments would be substantially different without. We don’t have to forgive all of them, but maybe we can learn to appreciate the ones that deserve it. 

Additionally, the unfortunate truth is that pollinators of all kinds are being threatened by issues such as climate change, pesticide use, habitat loss, and disease. That’s not a fact you have to just accept, though. There’s plenty each of us can do to support our local pollinators, and a great way to start is by getting involved with National Pollinator Week. Be sure to also check out additional resources like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our own bee conservation tool-kit. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at woods@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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