Amanda Miller, MSN Environment contributor

World Environment Day 2009: activities around the world

A dancer performs around an installation art titled 'Thirst Scraps' which is made up of plastic bottles as the country joins the rest of the world to mark Earth Day. (Image © AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Celebrated annually on June 5th, World Environment Day has been running for more than 35 years since being set up by the United Nations.

This year’s event has taken on extra significance in the lead up to the crucial climate change summit taking place in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Major countries will come together to try and agree the new long-term greenhouse gas emissions cuts that scientists say are essential for avoiding the worse effects of global warming.

But away from the politics of emissions cuts, World Environment Day is about showing people what they can do to safeguard the environment with popular, eco-friendly activities like bicycle parades, tree planting parties, poster competitions in schools and local recycling and clean-up campaigns.

More than 100 countries took part in 2008 and this year’s event is set to be even bigger. Here we will take a look at some of the more inspired events scheduled to take place around the world.

Events around the world

KISUMU, KENYA: The Rural Villages Development Centre will give demonstrations on how to drill wells to combat the worsening dry seasons in Kenya.

OWERRI, NIGERIA: Afro Green Zone International are organising an ”Electronic Recycle Crazy Show”. The show will include road shows and a symposium on the need to properly recycle obsolete electronic devices.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: The Willoughby City Council will celebrate 'Cooking to Combat Climate Change' with demonstrations by celebrity chef Manu Feildel and local chef Meg Evans, giving people tips about sustainable cooking practices they can use in their own kitchen.

TSIM SHA TSUI, HONG KONG: The Luxury hotel, Luxe Manor, are running a competition to win free accommodation from June 5th to July 31st. Every entrant to the 'Make a Wish, Save the World' must submit a wish about how they want to save the world from carbon pollution and global warming.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND: Visitors to the ‘Enjoy Public Library’ will have the opportunity to learn the songs of threatened indigenous birds from the area as recorded at the local Karori Sanctuary in Te Mana A Tane.

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: All 246 members of staff at DHL Global Forwarding Lanka will be asked to exchange a plant or seedling with a colleague. They will then have to care for that plant and keep their partner updated on it.

VANTAA, FINLAND: The Giraffe’s Footprint-Project will host crafting workshops for adults and children throughout Finland in May and June that feature four Namibian artists who specialise in making art out of recycled materials.

FREIBURG, GERMANY: The New Science Journalism Project will launch a new online magazine at www.newsciencejournalism.net offering university students the opportunity to register for free become an environmental science correspondent for the site.

KALITHEA RHODES, GREECE
The local authority are running a clean up day inviting residents and tourists to help clean up the beach in Kalithea and the local park.

Further Reading

See more events taking place

The world's ecological hotspots

Graphic: the world's shrinking rainforests

World Environment Day website