Women History Month is not only a celebrating of women in history, but also the women in our lives today. Here are some incredible books that we’d like to showcase for Women History Month. Find our upcoming TBR list (to be read list) as well as books that we love and are already within our library.

National Geographic estimated that in the United States alone that 500 million plastic straws are used and thrown out daily. The National Park Service noted, “Eco-Cycle who currently hosts and promotes the Be Straw Free campaign further calculated using Milo’s estimate that Americans use these disposable utensils at an average rate of 1.6 straws per person per day. Based on national averages, this equates to each person in the U.S. using about 38,000 straws between the ages of 5 and 65.” That’s way too many one-use biodegradable straws! Let’s look at alternatives!

Eucalyptus deglupta, or the Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree celebrates its own day today! The Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree gets its name from its trunk. When the brown bark sheds away, the colors underneath begin to reveal a light green color that changes to darker green to blue, purple, orange, pink and more creating the rainbow patterns! Let’s learn a bit about this beautiful tree!

Deforestation is one of the biggest problems our planet faces today. With forests across the globe being cut down, it affects so many areas of our planet. Entire ecosystems are being destroyed, leaving wildlife without homes and many animals facing extinction. The destruction of forests is also one of the most significant contributors to global warming. It is essential to our children’s futures to teach them about conservation and protecting our planet. So, what can you do to help? 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner in a few weeks and we want to share and how you can help create a more earth-friendly spent holiday with your loved ones!

Did you know that Avocados are a fruit? Or did you know that ripe avocado can soothe sunburn? Avocados are widely popular throughout the United States and world. Here are some avocado fun facts to read about on Avocado Tree Day!

There are incredible books that we’d like to celebrate for Black History Month. Below are our upcoming TBR list as well as ones that we love and are within our library. We’ll link to each book below!

National Recycling Day was created to encourage the purchase of recycled products. It’s also a day to be aware of the importance of separating waste to ensure that recyclable materials can be used in the manufacture of new products.

World Tsunami Awareness Day. In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day.

World Planting Day is dedicated to planting in whatever capacity you can, from planting a garden, to helping an organization, or even just spreading awareness about the importance of plants.

World Animal Day is an international day of action to raise the status of animals and improve their welfare. World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals.

Change a Light Day is all about making impactful change through minor actions, as switching from an incandescent lightbulb to an LED lightbulb can help save energy and money, and ultimately, the environment.

Before you collect seashells from the beach, think about how important they are to the planet. Seashells may not be home to mollusks anymore, but they can still be used as homes by hermit crabs or young fish. Birds also use shells to build their nests. So you can see, some animals need the shells more than we do. A good choice is to take pictures of them instead of taking them home!⁠

World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways! It highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world. Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we ensure their health in the years ahead.

Save the Koala Day. In April 2012, the Australian Government declared the Koala as ‘vulnerable’ under the Federal EPBC Act in New South Wales, the Act and Queensland. The Australian Koala Foundation estimates that there are less than 100,000 Koalas left in the wild, possibly as few as 43,000. There are four Australian states where Koalas occur in the wild—Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

National Elephant Appreciation Day is a great time to give these majestic and beautiful creatures the respect they deserve. Elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth, so it’s only right that they have a day completely dedicated to them. Sadly, humans are increasingly placing the elephant’s future at risk. So, whether you’re a lifelong elephant lover or not, take time on September 22 to learn about these amazing pachyderms.

In honor of World Bamboo Day, we’re excited to share some fun facts about this well-known sustainable wood and renewable resource! Read on to learn ten exciting facts about bamboo.

International Red Panda Day. With the decline of available opportunities to live and thrive in their natural habitat, Red Pandas are struggling. International Red Panda Day hopes to encourage people to learn about these adorable creatures and help save the biome in which they live.

The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus helping preserve life on the planet. Learn all about what the ozone layer is, and how it affects our planet in this blog post by Leaf Explorers.

Today is a great reminder that we all need to cleanup our parks, waterways, and facilities on federal lands.

As Leaf Explorers, we know how important it is to preserve the beauty and safety of these natural areas, increase our family and friends’ sense of ownership and community pride in these spaces, and reduce the amount of litter along the federal lands.