The 22nd of April 2023 marks the anniversary of the first Earth Day - the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Fifty three years later, it has never been more important to celebrate Earth Day. The climate crisis is escalating at a worrying pace, making the fight for a cleaner, greener planet all the more urgent.

Keep reading to learn about the history of Earth Day, why it continues to be so important and how to celebrate it. Of course, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than by enjoying one of the most  beautiful gifts that Earth has to offer - flowers!

A history of Earth Day

The first Earth Day took place in America in the 1970s - a period during which pollution was merely an accepted matter of life and the majority of society was rather ignorant as to the dangers of pollution to all life on Earth. In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote ‘Silent Spring’, a New York Times bestseller, which sparked somewhat of an environmental awakening. In her book, Carson raised awareness of the devastating effect of pollution on health. With more and more people beginning to discuss the issue, climate campaigners began protesting for change - fighting against oil spills, factories, power plants and the extinction of wildlife. This movement eventually led to Earth Day, a day where climate activists across a spectrum of political beliefs united for change.

The celebration of Earth Day led to the passage of the first ever environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Such laws have been crucial to the protection of both wildlife and human life. Despite a united campaign for change, the climate crisis is only getting worse, meaning that Earth Day has become a day to be celebrated year in and year out.

How to celebrate Earth Day

Celebrating Earth Day, ultimately means celebrating the Earth!

1 - Help to clean up your community

One of the simplest ways to celebrate Earth Day is by giving back to your community. Simply go for a walk through your neighbourhood, holding a rubbish bag and pick up any litter that you find along your way. This can be a long walk, or a short walk - every little effort goes a long way.

2 - Work towards creating a more environmentally-friendly home

Helping the planet does not necessarily mean making any grand gestures. If we all take steps to encourage green practices at home, we will together make a big difference. Remember to recycle - keep separate bins for mixed rubbish and recyclable materials. You must also be careful to clean out any container you wish to recycle, as a plastic tub that still has food remnants might contaminate the recycling load and disrupt the recycling process.

3 - Use and re-use

One of the most important ways to help our planet is by taking steps to be more sustainable. For example, if you need new clothes, why not visit a vintage clothing store, or a charity shop. Buying second hand is more environmentally friendly than buying from fast-fashion brands, by reducing factory emissions. Avoid buying drinks packaged in plastic bottles, instead drinking filtered tap-water or opting for drinks in glass bottles that can be washed and reused.

4 - Make sustainable food choices

It is no secret that the meat industry is one of the greatest causes of climate change. Make sustainable choices and try to reduce your consumption of red meat. Consider more sustainable replacements of protein such as pulses like chickpeas, which require very little water to grow and are an environmentally-friendly food choice.

How to celebrate Earth Day with flowers

1 - Plant flowers in your garden

Develop your green fingers and get planting in your garden. Not only are flowers beautiful, but they are also environmentally friendly, helping to improve air quality by producing oxygen in place of carbon dioxide.

2 - Adorn your home with fresh, fragrant blooms

Not only are flowers aesthetically pleasing and a stunning addition to your home decor, but they are also an excellent way to raise awareness for the importance of Earth Day. Having a selection of flowers around your home will help you to remind yourself, and your guests, of the many natural beauties that Earth has to offer, and the importance of prolonging Earth’s life.

3 - Gift a loved one with a bright bouquet of flowers

Flowers make the perfect Earth Day gift. With so many beautiful species of flowers, there truly is a flower for everyone. Not only does a bouquet of flowers spread joy, but it also reminds others of the simple beauty of nature, serving as a valuable reminder as to why we must take every effort to protect our environment.

4 - Gift a loved one with a planted gift

Like flowers, plants help the environment tremendously by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through their leaves. Boasting these vibrant green beauties in your home will serve as an excellent reminder to make greener choices!

How we are making an effort to protect the planet

We source only the best quality of flowers and ensure that all of our flowers are grown by sustainable growers. Every single one of our flowers conforms to the Fair Flower Fair Plants (FFP) standards. These standards are in place to keep the environmental impact of cut flower production to a minimum. By conforming to these standards, we are taking efforts to ensure that, in sourcing our flowers, we are minimising our environmental impact on surrounding communities and the planet.

We are also working in collaboration with CarbonClick, a B-Corp Certified company..CarbonClick is a New Zealand based company, helping businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. CarbonClick helps us to offset the carbon footprint of our transactions, meaning that we are able tooperate a more sustainable business, while you, our customers, can feel comforted that you have made a sustainable choice in buying from us. Simply click the green button at checkout and offset your transaction. The small additional costs are invested by CarbonClick into forest restoration, renewable energy projects and tree planting across the globe.

While we are working hard to reduce our carbon footprint, we know that there is always more to be done to protect the planet. We aim to become the UK’s first carbon neutral florist and online flower retailer.

We hope that you have learnt some more about Earth Day and that we have inspired you to practise greener habits.

Check out our website and browse our vast collection of flowers and plants - the most beautiful gifts that our planet has to offer.