Eco Awareness Days: 3-Month Calendar (January to March 2025)
Our bi-annual blog outlines environmental consciousness, days, weeks, and months celebrated in both the UK and around the globe between January and March 2025.
We will produce additional 3-month instalments as updates as the year progresses. If you wish to keep updated, please follow our blog's newsletter.
Many of these days serve to raise awareness about significant environmental concerns, while the international animal days also highlight the dire situation of each species.
Be sure to click on the links for more information!
January
Veganuary – 1st January — 30th 2025
Veganuary is a global event that encourages people to eat vegan for the month of January and beyond.
National Bird Day – 5th January 2025
Each year, the 5th of January is designated as National Bird Day. The day, initiated by the Avian Welfare Coalition, aims to alleviate the distress of birds. The organisation raises public awareness of the destructive bird trade, the realities of egregious bird breeding facilities, and measures to enhance the well-being of birds already in captivity.
RSPB Big Schools Bird Watch — 7th January to 14th February 2025
The RSPB Big Schools' Bird Watch is a bird survey that students are encouraged to participate in while attending school. Schools can sign up to get a free information pack from the RSPB, including helpful ID resources and survey sheets.
Penguin Awareness Day – 20th January 2025
The 20th of January is Penguin Awareness Day, a day in the calendar that celebrates these flightless seabirds. As climate change poses a significant threat to all species of penguins, the awareness day provides an opportunity for us to gain knowledge about the penguin's lifestyle and environment.
Squirrel Appreciation Day – 21st January 2025
Squirrel Appreciation Day is celebrated on the 21st of January each year. This day of animal awareness is observed during January, as squirrels may encounter difficulties searching for food. During the winter months, food is often scarce, combined with freezing temperatures, can result in a lack of water available for squirrels. Furthermore, frozen ground may also mean that squirrels may not be able to get access to their previously buried food caches.
Big Garden Bird Watch – 24th – 26th January 2025
The Big Garden Birdwatch is the biggest survey of garden wildlife in the world! To get involved, take one hour out of your weekend to watch the birds in your garden and record what you see. Submit any results to the RSPB what you saw online or by post; this data helps the RSPB gain valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.
International Zebra Day – 31st January 2025
We celebrate Zebra Day every January 31st to help people understand the dangers they face, including habitat loss, climate change, and poaching.
February
Show The Love – 1st – 28th February 2025
“Show the Love” is an annual commemoration of all that we cherish and strive to safeguard from the effects of climate change. Every February since 2015, thousands of people and groups come together to ask politicians to work together to solve the climate crisis.
World Ostrich Day – 2nd February 2025
The world's largest living bird is celebrated on February 2nd. While the Common Ostrich population is relatively stable, the North African ostrich subspecies has been in rapid decline for over 50 years. Sadly, this is due to hunting, egg collection and habitat loss.
World Wetlands Day – 2nd February 2025
World Wetlands Day is an important awareness day, since nearly 90% of the world's wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s. Celebrated each year on the 2nd of February raises awareness about how wetlands contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, and more.
World Marmot Day – 2nd February 2025
World Marmot Day honours a unique ground squirrel. The holiday celebrated in Alaska draws attention to this creature, as it embodies some of Alaska’s folk values.
World Marmot Day is held on the 2nd of February each year – mainly in Alaska, where it’s an official holiday. As marmots are particularly prolific in the state of Alaska, the official holiday was created to draw attention to this creature as it embodies some of Alaska’s folk values. Here the day is spent honouring these unique ground squirrels.
World Bonobo Day – 14th February 2025
World Bonobo Day raises awareness of the ape we know least about, which is threatened due to logging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Although the size of the bonobo population remains largely unknown, it is probable that it has been declining for the past 30 years. Scientists think that the bonobo population will decrease for 45 to 55 years because it doesn't reproduce frequently.
World Hippopotamus Day – 15th February 2025
Every year, on the 15th of February, World Hippopotamus Day is celebrated. However, there are no official activities on the day. Despite this, we can all learn a thing or two about the hippopotamus, after all, the IUCN has classified the hippopotamus as vulnerable, meaning the hippo is susceptible to extinction.
World Pangolin Day – 15th February 2025
World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of February every year. As pangolin populations are rapidly declining in Asia and Africa, this day is especially important. Pangolins are often killed to be used in some traditional medicines, and are considered a delicacy in some cultures.
World Whale Day – 16th February 2025
World Whale Day happens every year on the third Sunday in February to raise awareness about the many whale species that are endangered because of human actions.
The health of our oceans depends on the health of whales, who are at the top of the food chain. Great Whales, in particular, also help to capture carbon from the atmosphere. Despite decades of protection, the WWF says that six out of the 13 great whale species are classified as endangered or vulnerable, even after decades of protection.
International Polar Bear Day – 27th February 2025
Polar Bear International celebrates International Polar Bear Day every 27th of February to raise awareness about the conservation status of the polar bear. This environmental awareness day coincides with the time when polar bear mothers and cubs are snug in their dens.
As part of the day's festivities, Polar Bear International stresses the importance of safeguarding polar bear families in the Arctic.
March
World Wildlife Day – 3rd March 2025
Every year on March 3, World Wildlife Day celebrates and educates people about the world's wild animals and plants. This day is about how important wildlife is in keeping the planet healthy.
National Panda Day – 16th March 2025
To save the panda, National Panda Day honours global conservation efforts.
Due to numerous obstacles such as habitat loss and poaching, the panda population has been experiencing a decline. The population of the endangered panda is slowly starting to recover, thanks to the efforts of conservationists, activists, and other groups. So much so that they have recently been relocated from their “endangered” status to the less critical “vulnerable” status.
World Sparrow Day – 20th March 2025
The 20th of March is designated as World Sparrow Day, a celebration initiated by the Nature Forever Society. The once widespread bird is now in serious decline, with numbers in the UK alone having declined by 60% since 1979.
In addition to promoting awareness of sparrows, the day aims to promote awareness of all formerly common birds, particularly in urban areas.
World Frog Day – 20th March 2025
World Frog Day aims to raise awareness of the plight of threatened frog species throughout the world. All amphibians, including frogs, are important components of the global ecosystem. However, over one-third of amphibians are threatened with extinction.
The Big Plastic Count – Unconfirmed
The Big Plastic Count is the largest plastic investigation in the United Kingdom where thousands of schools, households, community groups and businesses across the UK come together to count their plastic waste. The data collected helps show how much plastic packaging we throw away as a nation, helping push legislation.
Global Recycling Day – 18th March 2025
The Global Recycling Foundation launched a day of environmental awareness in 2018 to promote recycling. This day helps to recognise and celebrate the importance that recycling plays.
International Day of Forests – 21st March 2025
The International Day of Forests is a globally recognized occasion that commemorates and promotes the significance of all types of forests.
The Great British Spring Clean – 21st March – 6th April 2025
The Great British Spring Clean is Keep Britain Tidy's annual national clean-up.
Members of the British public collaborate with a diverse range of partners, ranging from large corporations and foundations to community organisations and authorities, to remove litter and improve the appearance of our surroundings.
International Seal Day – 22nd March 2025
The purpose of International Seal Day is to promote the significance of protecting seals around the globe, while recognizing this unique marine animal.
Many seal species are killed by hunters for their valuable meat, blubber, and pelts. Others are demonised by fishermen, who blame them for the decline in fish populations, and therefore kill seals in large numbers. Climate change also threatens seals in the Arctic, as rapid ice loss has been causing seal pups to be prematurely separated from their mothers during the milking period.
World Water Day – 22nd March 2025
Since 1993, World Water Day has been observed annually on the 22nd of March to commemorate the life-sustaining significance of fresh water and to raise awareness of the 2 billion individuals worldwide who lack access to safe water.
Earth Hour – 22nd March 2025
Earth Hour is a global initiative initiated by the World Wildlife Fund. This event encourages people, communities, and businesses to turn off unnecessary lights for one hour on the last Saturday in March. It's a sign of respect for the environment.
Manatee Appreciation Day – 26th March 2025
Manatee Appreciation Day, which is annually observed on the last Wednesday of March, is a specialised day that aims to raise awareness about the plight of manatees and promote their conservation.
