Today is International National Parks day, and as the present Administration in the U.S increasingly describes nature as simply a resource to be monetized, it is more important than ever that we take the time to appreciate our natural reserves as sanctuaries and hosts to essential ecosystems and environments. 

In the mid-19th century, artists travelled across the United States, braving the wilderness and summiting peaks to capture the magnificence of the sprawling, untamed West. As photographs, stories, and paintings made their way back to the East, people became passionate about preserving these landscapes before they were destroyed by human development. As a result, Yellowstone National Park became the first national park in 1872. 

It is a timely reminder that art has the power to move people to action. Hearing about the importance of preserving national parks can inspire people to advocate for them, but seeing or experiencing natural beauty through an artistic lens creates a uniquely emotional connection between the viewer and the land itself. 

Today, national parks welcome artists-in-residence, whose paintings promote conservation efforts and even help raise awareness about the dangers of oil and gas drilling in protected areas. However, it is also important to acknowledge the work of travelling artists and indigenous people in the past. Without the artistic storytelling of these groups, our national parks wouldn’t be what they are today. 

Painting a Canvas for Change

One painter who helped change the public perception of national parks in the U.S. was Albert Bierstadt. In the late 1800s, the German American painter depicted Western landscapes in parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone. His dramatic, spectacular paintings powerfully promoted appreciation for American natural spaces and helped garner national support for public lands. When displayed in exhibitions today, his art moves viewers by conveying a profound connection to the natural world. 

National parks exist because people like Bierstadt saw landscapes and environments worth preserving. His work allows many people who do not have the privilege of spending time in these protected areas to still connect with them. 

Indigenous Art as a Tool for Conservation

When North American indigenous groups such as the Ute and Puebloan tribes traveled through western landscapes, they left behind drawings that told stories of their culture and the land. 

These stone carvings, called petroglyphs, have led to the conservation of land in many areas of the United States. For example, Arches National Park in Utah and Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico protect drawings so that they can be studied and appreciated. Petroglyphs are visual evidence of changing climates, cultural practices, and historical events, and preserving them keeps the history of the land alive for future generations. 

Rock art has played a similar role in the preservation of national parks in Australia. In 2021, a uranium mine located in Kakadu National Park ceased production after decades of protests from Aboriginal owners of the land. When explaining the decision, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that indigenous rock art in the park should be protected as “a reminder of the extraordinary privilege all of us have, to share this continent with the world’s oldest continuous culture.” 

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music

In addition to paintings and carvings, music written in support of national parks has touched listeners and sent them thronging to preserved lands. In celebration of the National Parks Service Centennial in 2016, parks across the United States held concerts to celebrate the milestone. 

They featured classical music by indigenous musicians, covers of famous compositions, and contemporary performances complementing a backdrop of dramatic canyons and towering mountains. The concerts contributed to an astounding 331 million visitations to U.S. national parks in 2016. 

Another example of the role of music in preserving national parks is the song “Grýlukvæði” by Icelandic musician Valgeir Sigurðsson. In the 1990s, projects to build hydropower dams in the Icelandic Highlands threatened ecosystems, geological formations, and cultural heritage. Songs like “Grýlukvæði” were written to evoke an emotional response to the environmental crisis, and they played a role in bringing awareness to the harms of some of these projects. In 2008, Vatnajökull National Park was established to protect a portion of the Highlands from damaging infrastructure. 

Artistic storytelling from artists around the world shares the grandeur of national parks with people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience it. Every stroke of a brush, chip of a rock, and pluck of a string tells the history of the lands people deemed too precious to destroy. 

A striking depiction of a park or historical event stirs emotions that can change perspectives and drive people to activism. 

If you can’t visit a park this International National Parks day, take time to appreciate them by learning more about the artists who helped preserve the parks near you. To help keep them available for future generations, visit our Climate Education page to find ways to teach others about the importance of conservation. 

If you care about the environment, and are in the U.S., we need your voice. Add your name to our public comments on the EPA’s intentions to gut the agency’s ability to regulate pollution due to climate change, also known as the Endangerment Finding.

The time to act and protect nature is now. Do it for our park’s right to exist and for your children’s future right to roam free in unspoiled nature. 

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Over 11 million tons of clothing and footwear end up in landfills or incinerators in the United States alone every year. While people are making efforts to switch to more sustainable methods of shopping, such as thrifting and buying fewer clothes, these methods do little to attack the root cause. 

It is estimated that between 100 and 150 billion articles of clothing are produced each year, polluting air and water, damaging the earth’s ecosystems, and harming all living things that rely on the earth’s increasingly finite resources. Materials like polyester and clothing dyes shed microfibers and toxins that enter and disrupt ecosystems, while clothing packaging is discarded and sent to landfills where it doesn’t biodegrade. Even though it may seem convenient and economical for consumers, the fast-fashion model of clothing production is creating irreversible damage to the climate. The fashion industry needs to change, but voluntary efforts from fashion companies have not resulted in progress.

However, despite the growing issue of fast fashion there are many recent innovations that could help shift the industry towards a more sustainable future. Companies using natural resources and unique processes to produce planet-friendly clothing and packaging offer hope for change to a destructive industry.

Alternative Materials

Global fiber production is projected to grow to 146 million metric tons by 2030. One innovation that could change the game for sustainable clothing production is the creation of eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives.

Mango Materials, a bioenergy startup that produces biodegradable plastics, creates fiber grade pellets that offer a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based polyester. The process involves converting methane gas into a naturally occurring biopolymer. To do this, ancient bacteria convert methane gas into PHA, which acts as a base polymer that has many applications, including creating a groundbreaking and cost-effective alternative to polyester fabric. Mango Materials’ process can replace the synthetic materials used in athletic wear and shoes, which produce greenhouse gas emissions when created as well as contribute to microplastic pollution. 

Another company innovating the fabric materials market is Ecovative. Ecovative creates plastics and textiles from lab-grown mycelium, or fungus roots. The company works with tanneries to convert the materials into leather alternatives. The process is ocean-safe and generates compostable leather with 50% lower carbon dioxide emissions than traditional leather. They also partner with Reformation, a company that sells sustainable clothing. 

Creating and promoting eco-friendly fabrics over unsustainable, synthetic clothing could help put an end to one part of the fast-fashion crisis. If more fashion brands elect to switch to these fabric alternatives, companies like Mango Materials and Ecovative will gain traction and eventually become the widespread choice for clothing materials.

Eco and Human-Safe Dyes

Brightly colored clothes are eye-catching and fun, but the chemical dyes used to produce vibrant colors are dangerous to both the environment and human health. In addition to using and polluting large amounts of water in their production, 60-70% of all fabric dyes are carcinogenic. While this is an alarming statistic, there are several safe dyes entering the market in an effort to reduce the industry’s environmental and health impacts. 

Denim is a staple in many wardrobes, but the well-known indigo hue contains synthetic chemicals and harms ecosystems by darkening the color of river water and polluting it with toxins. However, the good news is that CleanKORE provides a solution. The company uses a patented technology that coats fibers in dye rather than soaking them through. This significantly reduces the amount of water and chemicals used in the dying process without requiring manufacturers to purchase new chemicals or equipment, making it incredibly cost-effective. 

Another trailblazing start-up that is making fabric dye safer for the environment is Ever Dye. Ever Dye is a zero-waste dying process that uses biobased pigments and a simple mechanical filter that releases clean water into the ecosystem, all while using less water, heat, and time. When companies like Ever Dye pair with large clothing manufacturers, the dying process becomes less harmful for us and the earth. 

Packaging with a Purpose

With almost every article of clothing shipped to our homes, more plastic waste is generated and ends up in landfills. Packaging may be overlooked when considering the environmental impact of the fashion industry, but using sustainable packaging is just as important as using eco-friendly materials. Fortunately, there are solutions.

For example, Sway is turning abundantly growing natural materials into plastic bags.  Sway’s 100% compostable Polybags are high-quality clothing bags made from seaweed polymers and printed with ink derived from algae. The innovative packaging meets industry and supply chain standards while promoting healthier ecosystems. 

In addition to Sway, Greenhope is also making a biodegradable plastic bag alternative. Made from locally sourced starches, Greenhope packaging is compostable in home and industrial settings and can break down in just 12 weeks, whereas regular plastics take anywhere from 10 to hundreds of years to decompose. Also, instead of leaving toxic microplastics in the environment, Greenhope bags have been proven to promote plant growth by adding nutrients to the soil when they biodegrade. 

Conclusion

From fiber to finish, there are many innovations that could revolutionize the fashion industry and move it towards an eco-friendly future. Pioneers in fashion are finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of fibers and dyes and develop packaging methods that can promote healthy plant growth and soil when they decompose. 

If companies continue adopting biodegradable, water friendly, and plastic-free alternatives to clothing materials, the industry could begin to reach the goal of sustainability and reverse its never-ending exploitation of earth’s resources and damage to the environment. Do your part by looking for brands that partner with sustainable innovators and by buying clothes made of low-impact materials, and the Green makeover can begin. 

Sign our FASHION MUST CHANGE PETITION to advocate for a more sustainable fashion future! 

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August 3rd is National Watermelon Day, and many people will be enjoying the juicy summer fruit from the harvests of their home gardens. While it may seem convenient to buy produce at your local grocery store, growing food at home has many benefits that have been overlooked by consumers in the past. Gardening is typically considered a hobby for the elderly and retired since it requires time and dedication. However, new trends show that Gen Z is beginning to recognize the benefits of gardening, and it has become more popular among young people in recent years. 

Famously regarded as the generation of the digital age, it may come as a surprise that screen-hooked teens and young adults are electing to put down devices and pick up a shovel.   Many are even combining their nature-loving and virtual sides by taking to social media to share their gardens and inspire others to start growing food at home. By turning to gardening, Gen Z can join older generations in promoting sustainability and cultivating cheaper and healthier food options.

How are Young People Raking in the Gardening Revival?

Gen Z, the generation born between approximately 1997-2012, is increasing the time and money they dedicate to the soil. In fact, in 2024 over 60% of Gen Z consumers said they spent more money on gardening than they did in 2023, and half of them said they devoted 50% more time cultivating plants compared to the previous year. Additionally, 83% of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 describe the activity as ‘cool’, embracing the once passé pastime as a lifestyle choice. 

There are several reasons why people opt for growing their own food over buying produce in grocery stores. Gardeners say that among other benefits, the pastime improves their mental health and diet, reduces food waste, and is more economical.

Changing the Game

Not only are young people choosing to plant their own gardens, but they’re also adapting and changing traditional gardening methods to fit an evolving world. While many Gen Z and Millennials don’t own homes with spaces for large garden beds, they have adjusted by creating small-space gardens, including balcony, windowsill, and kitchen gardens, for growing vegetables and herbs without requiring large plots or expensive tools and irrigation systems. 

In addition to small-space gardens, pollinator gardens are another recent trend. These spaces combine different varieties of native plants that attract bees and other pollinators to promote healthy habitats. Gen Z has popularized this horticulture method in an effort to embrace environmental activism and strengthen our ecosystems. 

Gen Z is also taking interest in gardening as more than just a hobby. A study revealed that enrollment in undergraduate horticulture programs has increased at the two-year and four-year levels. By studying and making a career out of plant cultivation, people can improve their own health and wellbeing as well as encourage wildlife diversity and sustainable agriculture, all of which are pressing issues for younger generations.

Why Gen Z is Getting the Green Thumb

During World War I, people took up gardening as a survival mechanism when food was scarce and expensive. The National War Garden Commission encouraged Americans to plant and store their own fruits and vegetables so that more food was available for their allies. These gardens were named “victory gardens”, and they resulted in the cultivation of 3 million new garden plots in 1917. 

While the 21st century resurgence is not as dramatic, the concept of a victory garden has been revived by younger generations on social media. On average, people who invest $70 into a home garden can get a total return on investment of $600, meaning it could save them 8.5 times the amount of money they put into it. With food prices rising 2.9 percent in the last year and young people experiencing increasing financial instability, many are choosing to grow their produce at home to save money. 

Another reason gardening is becoming a popular activity for young people is the growing awareness of the negative health impacts of plastic in food. Plastic packaging can cause toxic chemicals linked to severe issues like cancer and endocrine disruption to leach into the food products we consume. Because of this knowledge, young people are increasingly choosing to grow food at home to avoid unnecessary plastic consumption. Eco-friendly swaps for common garden supplies can help create a sustainable garden that keeps our bodies and ecosystems plastic free. 

Additionally, younger generations recognize that spending time in nature is linked to improved mental health, and gardening is a great way to connect with the natural world. Working the soil has a positive impact on well-being and quality of life, and young people looking to better their mental health see many benefits from it. 

Gardening is no longer just a hobby for retired people looking to fill their time. Gen Z has grown more passionate about planting their own food and flowers in recent years. Because of numerous benefits to health, sustainability, and financial security, younger generations are adopting and innovating the gardening pastime. 

This National Watermelon Day, start a garden to harvest your own fruit and sow the seeds of a better future. If you want to learn more about how you can start planting for the planet, visit our Climate Education page and read our composting and gardening advocacy packets. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. 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 davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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