What I’m Doing For International Polar Bear Day

/ Post by Erica Wills of Polar Bears International 

Today is International Polar Bear Day (we’ll call it IPBD for short)! The photo above is of my roommates and I on last year’s IPBD. We each chose one of my many polar bears items and wore them/carried them around for the day to bring awareness about the IPBD to our classmates (and because it’s fun!). We plan to do it again this year. We will also be keeping our thermostats totally off for the day and will refrain from taking a shower, to conserve energy and water respectively.

The biggest point about IPBD isn’t to do these things just for 24 hours and then go back to previous habits; it’s about maintaining those habits into the future. My roommates and I will definitely keep showering, but we will be more mindful of how long of a shower we’re taking and even how hot the water is (the hotter the water is, the more energy you’re using to heat it).

You don’t have to make a huge gesture of support for the Arctic and its magnificent creatures; taking a smaller action and pledging to do it day after day is the most meaningful gesture a person can make. Remember the ideas I listed earlier, visit PBI’s website for more ideas, and get creative with ways you can bring awareness to your own community. Let’s make International Polar Bear Day an everyday celebration of polar bears, conservation, and hope for the future!