If you’re looking for a day to show your love for our planet, why not celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22? This is a day dedicated to making sure that Earth remains a place where all creatures—no matter what environment they depend on—can not only survive, but also thrive. Originally, Biological Diversity Day was proclaimed on December 29. In December 2000, however, the UN General Assembly changed the date to May 22. This was partly meant to commemorate the adoption of the Convention at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and partly to avoid clashing with the various international holidays that occur in late December (hello, Christmas). So whether you’re from a desert climate, a forest, a valley, or a swamp, come celebrate biological diversity with us this May 22.
International Day for Biological Diversity - Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Biodiversity, a simple word with some very broad reaching implications. Biodiversity, when split into it’s component parts, “Diversity” defined as “a range of different things.” and bio meaning “life”, quite simply means “A Diversity of Life”. It has been shown that ecological niches with good biodiversity flourish and are healthy.
History of the International Day for Biological Diversity
The International Day for Biological Diversity was first established in 1993, when the 29th of December was selected to serve as the day to educate the world of the importance of Biodiversity. This was later changed to the 22 of May in 2000. Too many winter holidays were interfering with countries holding meaningful celebrations.
The prevalence of monoculture farming in the world has led to some rather dramatic and drastic consequences. Unknown to most consumers, most of the world only consumes one type of banana, and that isn’t the same kind that was being eaten only a few decades ago. Due to monoculture farming, an entire species of banana was wiped out by disease, leading to the cultivation of our present strain. Without biodiversity, we’re currently set up for the same thing to happen all over again.
Each year a theme is selected to educate the world on the broad variety of topics that fall under the veil of biodiversity, from Water and Marine biodiversity, to Forest and Sustainable development concerns.
Celebrating the International Day for Biological Diversity
Celebrating Biodiversity can be fun and delicious, especially if you take this opportunity to visit farmers markets and co-ops in your local area to try new types of produce. Whether you incorporate heirloom tomatoes into your gardening or cooking, or try one of the rainbow of colors of carrots out there that aren’t orange, biodiversity can bring a great new experience to your table.
Another way of celebrating biodiversity is to join a local park clean-up team and help to remove invasive plants from your local environment. These teams of volunteers will gather to remove plants that are impacting the local fauna’s biodiversity by taking over natural grow areas.
Another way to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity is to simply get out into the world and enjoy all the different types of life your local area offers. Even a local park can have an amazing variety of life you’ve never noticed, from the insects crawling through the grass and dirt, to the flowers we so clumsily lump together as ‘wildflowers’.
Whatever the case, get out there and celebrate the diversity of our natural world, not just on the International Day for Biological Diversity, but every day!
How to Observe International Day for Biological Diversity
Start your own organic garden
The change can take place right in your own backyard! However, not every kind of garden is suitable for any kind of environment. The key to a good organic garden is to replace invasive plants with native ones, eliminate hard surfaces than discourage growth, and refrain from using pesticides. Show off your own, native ecosystem.
Buy organic, sustainable food
Believe it or not, organic food is not just code for “expensive and weird-looking tomatoes.” Organic food has not been exposed to pesticides or fertilizers. And, although these are not necessarily harmful to humans in and of themselves, they can have negative impacts on the environment.
Conserve energy
This is a bit of a no-brainer. By reducing your energy consumption, you minimize the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of your activities. In addition, you reduce the demand for companies to disturb the environment in a search for fossil fuels. While individual humans do not bear the same responsibility for the environment as big corporations do, it’s still important for all of us to preserve life on this planet.
Why International Day for Biological Diversity is Important
It boosts ecosystem productivity
When there are lots of different animals living in lots of different kinds of ecosystems, then we all get to live in a better, more varied world. Biological diversity ensures that lots of different kinds of crops can grow, which feed people all over the world, and also allows natural sustainability to exist. In addition, if lots of different kinds of ecosystems are allowed to flourish, then it becomes easier for the planet as a whole to recover from natural disasters.
It keeps humans alive
The more different kinds of plants and animals live on Earth, the easier it is for humans to survive as a species. Rather than limit ourselves to a few certain kinds of crops and livestock (which would limit the places on Earth where humans would be able to live), encouraging biological diversity means that humanity thrives all over the planet.
We are the dominant species on this planet
While it is important for humans to survive, we also have to take into account that humans have the biggest impact on the planet of any living creature. We can be a force for positive change—encouraging growth and diversity—or we can be a force for negative change—morphing the planet into something as unable to sustain life as every other planet in our solar system. Since we have the most power to change the world, it’s up to us to use that power responsibly.
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