Join Zac Efron in Celebrating World Nature Conservation Day

Protecting our planet’s natural resources should be a priority every single day — but most of all, on World Nature Conservation Day.

The annual holiday is a great opportunity to learn about the importance of conservation, and to pledge to take your efforts to protect wildlife to the next level. One person getting involved in the holiday this year is Zac Efron, who is working with Kodiak Cakes to raise money to protect wildlife in honor of World Nature Conservation Day 2022.

Keep reading for all the details on the holiday, how to celebrate, and on Efron’s initiative.

World Nature Conservation Day is observed annually on July 28.

According to National Today, World Nature Conservation Day emphasizes how desperately we need to conserve and protect the environment and all of the natural resources it gives us, running the gamut from plants to animals.

Conservation is vital for so many reasons. Ensuring the protection of species that are endangered, vulnerable, and threatened can help prevent them from going extinct, support biodiversity, and generally help nature flourish — which helps provide natural resources that we humans benefit from, such as clean air, water, soil, trees, and more.

Actor Zac Efron, who explored sustainability efforts around the world in the Netflix docuseries Down to Earth, recently joined food brand Kodiak Cakes’ board of directors as Chief Brand Officer. Currently, Efron is working with the company to help preserve grizzly bear habitats across North America.

“Kodiak has made it clear that they want to be a part of the solution, and we are going to partner together to create programs that make an impact towards a better future for all,” Efron said in a statement sent to Green Matters.

In honor of World Nature Conservation Day this year, Kodiak Cakes has teamed up with graphic designer Aaron Draplin on a limited-edition line of Kodiak x Aaron Draplin merch. Kodiak will donate 100 percent of proceeds on the apparel and prints line to the Vital Ground Foundation, which works to conserve habitats for grizzly bears and other animals.

Kodiak will also be making a donation that matches all online sales of the new line, in celebration of the holiday.

“I love this brand, their products and most of all their mission,” Efron wrote on Instagram in June when he announced his new role. Kodiak Cakes’ mission is to “inspire healthier eating and active living with nourishment for today's frontier,” and to nourish people with healthy carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.

If you are able, you might consider donating to a conservation organization — here are a few doing fantastic work.

The Wolf Conservation Center is a New York-based organization working to protect wolves. You can even donate to the charity via cryptocurrency, stocks, and from your IRA. The Wolf Conservation Center is rated 93.45 out of 100 by Charity Navigator.

There’s also Waterkeeper Alliance, a nonprofit all about preserving and protecting clean water, with programs focusing on battling pollution from meat production, ending fossil fuel reliance, and more. Charity Navigator rated Waterkeeper Alliance 92.61 out of 100.

We also recommend donating to the Indigenous Environmental Network, which was founded by grassroots Indigenous peoples in 1990, and has a goal of addressing environmental and economic justice issues, including protecting sacred sites, natural resources, people, and animals.