Since 2019 Ateliers Verts® has supported Good Causes across the Land, Ocean, Air, People and Animals. After all they're all interconnected.
With so much noise in the media about vile human behaviour it's good to be reminded of the good work being done by various organisations. Being eco-conscious, sustainable, eco-friendly, planet-friendly or whatever you want to call it will help humanity to survive and reverse the damage we have done to the planet. So positive initiatives which raise awareness and garner support are welcome!
Here are our Top 10 Eco-Conscious Days for the Month of May 2026
1. Plantlife's No Mow May (all month)
No Mow May is one of the easiest ways to help the environment – letting wildflowers like daisies, dandelions and clovers grow while supporting bees and butterflies. (Even small wild patches add up to make a huge difference to nature.)
More: Plantlife's No Mow May
2. Vesak Day (1st May 2026)
"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago, in the year 623 B.C., that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away.
More: Vesak Day
3. World Fair Trade Day (9th May 2026)
Every second Saturday of May, WFTO celebrates World Fair Trade Day to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of the Fair Trade business model and its positive impact on people’s lives and communities. For 2026, the theme of the campaign is: Together we are the Business Revolution!
This edition is about our planet. The foundation beneath everything we do, everything we make, and everything we stand for. At WFTO, we believe that business models rooted in the 10 Fair Trade Principles are one of the most powerful forces we have for real, lasting change; for our communities, our ecosystems, and the world we are leaving behind. Ours is a global network of doers, makers, and changemakers rooted in collaboration and shaping the future of business. Artisans, designers, farmers, shoppers, advocates, we are in this together. And together, we are the Business Revolution!
More: World Fair Trade Day
4. International Day of Plant Health (12th May 2026)
The United Nations designated 12 May as the International Day of Plant Health to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.
More: International Day of Plant Health
5. Endangered Species Day (15th May 2026)
Endangered Species Day, observed annually on the third Friday of May, is a global event dedicated to celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened species and their habitats. It highlights the need for conservation to prevent extinction, often focusing on over 47,000 species threatened by human activity.
More: Endangered Species Day
6. International Day of Living Together In Peace (16th May 2026)
Living together in peace is all about accepting differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize, respect and appreciate others, as well as living in a peaceful and united way.
The UN General-Assembly, in its resolution 72/130 declared 16 May the International Day of Living Together in Peace, as a means of regularly mobilising the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity. The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
The Day invites countries to further promote reconciliation to help to ensure peace and sustainable development, including by working with communities, faith leaders and other relevant actors, through reconciliatory measures and acts of service and by encouraging forgiveness and compassion among individuals.
More: International Day of Living Together in Peace
7. World Bee Day (20th May 2026)
Slovenia proposed that the United Nations (UN) proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day. On 20 December 2017, following three years of international efforts, the UN Member States unanimously approved Slovenia’s proposal and 20 May was proclaimed World Bee Day.
Bees are some of the most important pollinators, ensuring food and food security, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity, and they significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and the conservation of the environment. In the long-term, the protection of bees and the beekeeping sector can help reduce poverty and hunger, as well as preserve a healthy environment and biodiversity.
More: World Bee Day
8. International Day for Biological Diversity (22nd May 2026)
As the global community is called to re-examine our relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain: despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy, just to name a few.
This involves respecting, protecting, and repairing our biological wealth.
In December 2022, the world came together and agreed on a global plan to transform our relationship with nature. The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, sets 23 targets for 2030 and 5 global goals for 2050 to stop and reverse the loss of nature in 25 years. Among its goals: restore 20% of degraded ecosystems and reduce the introduction or settlement of invasive alien species by 50%.
This International Day for Biological Diversity, under the theme “Harmony with nature and sustainable development”, highlights how this plan for nature connects with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showing that both agendas must advance together as they support one another.
More: International Day For Biological Diversity
9. World Turtle Day (23rd May 2026)
World Turtle Day® is an annual observance held on May 23rd to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.
Founded in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue®, World Turtle Day® has grown into a global phenomenon celebrated in over 190 countries. Through educational events, social media campaigns, and grassroots activism, millions come together annually to celebrate these ancient creatures and take action to protect them.
More: World Turtle Day
10. World Hunger Day (28th May 2026)
World Hunger Day is observed annually on May 28th to raise awareness about the more than 700-800 million people facing chronic hunger worldwide. Founded by The Hunger Project in 2011, this day focuses on sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty, advocating for self-reliance, dignity, and improved nutrition, particularly for women and children especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
More: World Hunger Day
(Header Image: Plantlife's No Mow May)
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