Are you an Earth Day newbie? Or aficionado? Whatever your status, Earth Day is the perfect time to renew - or begin - your connection with the environment. 

Earth Day is an annual celebration that honours the achievements of the environmental movement. But more importantly, aims to raise awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations.

The whole idea for Earth Day kicked off in 1970, lead by the Earth Day Network whose mission is still to activate, diversify and activate the environmental movement.

This first-ever Earth Day saw over 20 million Americans involved in environmental discussion and action. It’s still widely credited as sparking the modern environmental movement.

This year the theme is based around animals and saving every species possible. As a dedicated cruelty-free and vegan brand, this theme is very close to our hearts.

How can we do our bit for animals?

You’re probably already aware of the threats animals face as our environment changes due to, well, us.

Tragically, the actions of humans have upset the balance of nature in such a catastrophic way, that planet is now facing the greatest rate of extinction since that of the dinosaurs, some 60 million years ago. But unlike that round of extinction, the imminent extinction of our planet’s species is largely man-made.

Deforestation, unsustainable farming, poaching, pollution and pesticides are among humanity’s discretions against the delicate balance of Mother Nature. If we don’t act now, extinction might be humanity’s most enduring legacy.

Sadly, not everyone is quite so well informed. The aim of Earth Day 2019 is to help build a global community of people fluent in the concepts of protecting all life. It’s about empowering people with the information they need to inspire action (because in this day and age when information is so readily available, there’s really no excuse).

The Earth Day Network believes that this year’s focus will prompt more than major policies that protect broad groups of species and their habitats. It’s also a catalyst for education around implementing a plant-rich lifestyle, something that Aleph embraces with our all-natural, completely vegan makeup formula.

How does conscious beauty make you a better Earth Day environmentalist?

It might seem far-fetched that something as simple as makeup habits can help make the world a cleaner place, but it’s true.

When you commit to using all-natural beauty products, you’re also committing to testing innovative and beneficial green technology - ones that also don’t involve animal testing.

It takes a lot of research, time and effort to create products that do no harm to you or the environment - trust us, we know. Simply consuming these kinds of products is a way to make sure they stick around and continue to grow. It’s like saying “we want more of this good stuff” with your wallet.

How can I celebrate Earth Day?

Think of Earth Day as the beginning of something, rather than just one day. It’s a chance to retake your vows and recommit to helping save our vast, beautiful home (and all those that inhabit it). 

When it comes to making goals, keep them small and achievable, instead of going big. Don’t fall for the same old trick that’s cost you several failed New Year’s resolutions in a row.

To save you the trouble, we sat down and pulled together five completely obtainable goals. Remember, small changes lead to big outcomes!

1. Shop Consciously - Go out of your way to find brands that ban animal testing on their products. Whether it’s makeup or cleaning products, conscious brands are growing in numbers and are doing incredible things every day of the year!
2. Support - Donate to Earth Day Network’s campaign and put your spare dollars to good use - saving the planet! We’re donating our profits from all Earth Day 19 sales to the cause.
3. Avoid Pesticides - While they may keep your lawn tidy, chemical pesticides easily find their way into the systems of innocent animals and wreak havoc. Say no these nasty pollutants. And choose to support food grown naturally.
4. Educate - Have a hunt around for some good websites and blogs for more ideas about protecting our furry friends. The WWF website is our current go-to for all things environmental if you need somewhere to start.

Don’t stop talking about environmental issues just because Earth Day is over. The Earth Day Network promotes education and what better way to educate the people around you than through discussion?

Note: all profits from Earth Day '19 sales were donated to the Earth Day Network.