JACKSON, Wyo. — Nature-lovers and government agencies alike are observing Earth Day on Monday, April 22.
Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) celebrated by sharing a striking image of the park as viewed from the International Space Station.
“Today, we are zooming out to consider our place on this planet,” GTNP’s post reads. “When we think about protecting our planet, it is easy to protect places like Grand Teton, but this global effort extends to the whole planet. Imagine taking care of your backyard, the parking lots, the highways, hometown parks and more like we protect national parks.”
Similarly, Yellowstone National Park shared a carousel of photos of its earthly wonders, encouraging people to practice conservation at home.
“Whether in a backyard, neighborhood green space, or a magnificent national park, there are many things you can do to make an impact protecting nature,” Yellowstone’s post reads. “Water, lands and air are all connected.”
The National Park Service highlighted the fact that Earth Day falls during National Park Week. The agency is hosting events this week that “explore the earth sciences and stewardship,” its post said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the opportunity to encourage eco-friendly behavior for the health of the Earth and its inhabitants. This agency took a more tone in its observation of the holiday.
“Our plastic waste is bad for wildlife,” the agency posted to Facebook along with a photo of a deceased black-footed albatross chick with plastic items visible in its stomach. “It’s a sobering picture and normally we like to keep things light-hearted on this account, but every once in a while we need to have one of those ‘real talks.’ Unfortunately, this chick isn’t exclusive. It represents the millions of birds, reptiles, mammals and other wildlife that ingest our plastic waste. This Earth Day, we’re asking you to make the world a healthier place for the next generation and for wildlife.”
