Today is World Photography Day, and we want to honor this incredible craft by sharing nature photos taken by our very own EARTHDAY.ORG staff and their reveals about why they love these images so much.

Emily Walker

Education Coordinator

The Trees of Virginia

West Virginia Mountains taken in the late winter at New River Gorge Bridge.

Shenandoah Area, Virginia: Tree tops in late spring taken from the mountain side of quaint Elkton, Virginia which backs up to the Shenandoah Mountains. 

I always find myself drawn to the mountains; not for the adrenaline or challenge, but for the quiet moments they offer. Most of the photos I’ve held onto come from hikes and camping trips in the Appalachians, often with close friends or family. There’s a rhythm to those days: being around the mist in the trees and the soothing sounds of the wildlife around us.

Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, these landscapes are more than just beautiful backdrops; they feel like home. The rolling hills and soft, layered ridgelines have always given me a sense of peace I struggle to find elsewhere. 

When I look back at these images, I’m reminded of who I was with, and the ease that comes from being surrounded by both nature and people who know you well. That combination of connection and calm has come to define why I keep returning to these places, and why these photos matter to me so much.

Aminah Taariq-Sidibe

Manager, End Plastic Initiatives, EDO

Pink Waters Run Deep

Pink waters in Lac Rose, Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal.

I bought a 2007 Sony digital camera (Cybershot DSC-W55) second hand, and it’s incredible. The grainy look makes the present moment feel so nostalgic. Even though the camera is “old and used”, it doesn’t detract from its ability to evoke emotions through its unique perspective on the world. It’s a sturdy piece of technology, and I hope it lasts me many more years. It’s this camera that I used to take my two favorite pictures.  

Lac Rose is located in the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal. It is known for having a pink glow due to algae (but it wasn’t super pink today) but beautiful nonetheless!

Terran Fielder

Media Specialist, EDO

Costa Rican Creatures 

In the summer of 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to visit my oldest and dearest friend in Costa Rica. Over the course of two weeks, we journeyed across the entire country, experiencing its breathtaking natural beauty: from volcanoes to beaches, and deep into the heart of its lush rainforests. The abundance of wildlife was astounding, and although I had only my phone to capture moments, one night stands out in particular. 

During a nighttime hike through the forest, we crossed paths with a couple of biologists who were there to study and photograph Costa Rica’s unique creatures. They kindly shared their knowledge and stunning images with us, identifying each animal and explaining their behavior. Now, whenever I revisit those photos, I’m transported back to that unforgettable trip and the deep connection I felt to nature in that moment. 

Yellow tree frog 

Family of White-headed Capuchin monkies 

Photography can reveal the beauty of our planet, it also reminds us of the importance of protecting it. We must ensure that future generations get to see these sights through their own eyes and have the opportunity to capture the natural world in all its glory. 

To make that possible, we need to take meaningful action. Reducing our plastic consumption is a crucial step; plastic pollution and microplastics and their harmful chemicals kill millions of animals every single year: from marine life,marine life, to birds, to land animals. 

Not only does it devastate nature it impacts our own well-being too, as plastic chemicals have been linked to serious health concerns, from heart disease to cancers to infertility to Alzheimer’s and more.

Investing in renewable energy is another vital move to protect our planet from the harmful effects of climate change. Solar, wind, geo-thermal, today and hydro naturally are finite energy sources that offer a steady supply of power without emitting the harmful greenhouse gases that come from burning  fossil fuels.

Finally, climate education must be prioritized to deepen young people’s appreciation  of the natural world and equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to protect it.

We all want to protect what is in these images. Right now in the U.S , the Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, is under attack from the very man charged with leading it, Lee Zeldin. His actions to limit the EPA’s ability to counter air and water pollution by rescinding the Endangerment Finding is threatening the nature we hold so dear. 

We should remember that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established by Republican President Richard Nixon in December 1970,  just months after the very first Earth Day on April 22nd – which galvanized 20 million Americans to march on the streets. Demanding environmental action to keep their families safe and healthy – with clean water and clean air. 

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.

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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Today is National Thrift Store Day, and the Earth Day staff wanted to take a moment to share some of our own favorite thrift store finds. Thrifting is a great place to find durable, hand-me-downs at a reasonable price. Anything from books, to art, household appliances and clothes. They already have a story, you can just add to it. 

Thrifting isn’t just about scoring cool vintage jeans or finding that perfect quirky mug for your kitchen;  it’s also a small but mighty way to push back against the environmental cost of fast fashion and our addiction to shopping. 

The fashion industry alone is responsible for up to 10% of global carbon emissions; more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. 

 The reality is that an estimated 85% of all textiles end up getting trashed or burned. By choosing to thrift, you’re giving everything  the chance of a longer ‘life’, saving perfectly usable items from landfills, and reducing the demand for new production, which means less plastic being thrown away, less wasted resources like energy,  fewer toxic dyes in our waterways, less microfiber pollution, and less pressure on exploited garment workers.

Here are some of our most memorable thrifting finds here at EARTHDAY.ORG:

Aidan Charron: Prime Prints

One of my favorite finds is a set of three animal prints I picked up from a vendor at a farmers market in D.C. They’re simple, just magazine cutouts of creatures I have no personal connection to, yet they bring me a quiet kind of joy every day. There’s something beautiful in knowing that, throughout history, people have felt such a deep reverence for nature that they’ve captured it in art over and over again.These prints are a small reminder of that timeless connection.

Emily Walker: Taking Time

Every Saturday, my mom and I would set out on a mission: antique sales. She loved the thrill of the hunt, and I loved the adventure. One morning, we wandered into an estate sale full of fascinating relics from another time. That’s where I spotted the clock; a beautiful floral piece that immediately caught my eye. I was completely taken by it. My mom, noticing how drawn I was, managed to snag it for a great price. I couldn’t believe it — my very own vintage clock, and I already knew exactly where it would go in my room.

We left that day with a handful of treasures, but that clock meant the most. It was the very first thing I ever picked out on one of our outings together. More than just a decorative item, it marked the beginning of a lifelong love for antiques, something my mom passed down to me with such care.

Now, twenty years later, that same clock still ticks away. It’s been a constant in every space I’ve lived in, a symbol of those early adventures and the beauty of things with history. It’s easily one of my most cherished possessions.

Terran Fielder: Clothes That Last

My favorite person to shop with is my mom. She is always honest with me about what is flattering and has a great sense of style (which is why I say my favorite place to shop is my mom’s closet). 

Most new clothes these days are not made to last and are sourced in unethical ways that harm the environment. This has brought us to thrift  for our clothes. It is much more exciting; you never know what you are going to find. For instance, we went on a thrifting tour in New York City the summer before I began college. I was not banking on buying anything, but I happened upon my now favorite shoes and pants and knew I could not leave the city without them.

The shoes were just my size, hardly worn and the  shoes were no longer made by the producer. Not to mention I paid less than 15% of the original price!! For the past 5 years I have worn those shoes almost every day – so much so that I wore holes in the soles and had to retire.  They’re the kind of shoes that you go through so much with that they hold memories.

The pants. These pants also fit like a glove. They seemed impossibly long and I almost didn’t try them on, but my mom insisted. And boy am I glad she did! These aren’t your typical jeans. They are sized so that they do not need spandex, which is a synthetic fabric made of a number of carcinogenic chemicals including formaldehyde, but allow you to move freely. It’s all the comfort and fashion, but none of the damage to your health.

These pieces have lasted me so long and are now sentimental. They have treated me kindly, and every time I wear them I get to think of the wonderful times I shared with my mom.

Sarah Davies: Pewter Perfection

I have always loved thrifting, it is a passion that started when I was a student to save money and it’s just never stopped. My home is full of old furniture I have found and lovingly restored, having a husband who is a carpenter helps on that front, along with vintage curtains, books, silver ware and even plant pots. 

But my favorite item is this old pewter bowl above. I think it is pewter, but I got it in a beach thrifting adventure on Fenwick Island, and it cost $22 which felt like a lot at the time but I love that darn bowl. It holds car keys and coins and basically anything small that needs a home. It’s old and clearly it has been used for years, decades and I love that it had a life before it met me.

It makes the most lovely cling when I put the lid back on and that makes me smile every single time – it is so much better than anything made of plastic!

Thrifting is Acting for the Climate

Thrifted finds may seem small, but they carry big stories; of craftsmanship, memory, and conscious choices. Whether it’s vintage art, an old pewter bowl, a pair of well-loved shoes, or a floral clock passed down through the years, these items remind us that style doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense. 

Most of us thrift looking for clothes and that is important because fast fashion is choking the planet. This one industry uses an estimated 93 billion cubic meters of water annually—enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people—and produces 92 million tons of textile waste each year, much of which ends up in landfills or oceans. If you believe the fashion industry needs to do better, add your voice by signing our The Fashion Industry Must Change petition. Together, we can help make sustainable fashion the norm, not the exception.

But the fashion industry is just one part of the puzzle. It seems that right now everything is under threat – from our right to live without being poisoned by microplastics, our right to buy clean energy, breathe clean air, drink clean water to having leaders who understand science and believe in fighting climate change. Right now, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency is in danger of becoming the Environmental Pollution Agency. 

The EPA is trying to undermine its own ability to keep our air and water clean and tackle climate change – tell Congress we expect them to protect clean air and clean water for all and to fight back, you can write to them  here.  Demand that Administrator Zeldin abandon this reckless plan here and tell President Trump that our children deserve better here.

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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