Being true to our our name, we signed up to 30 Days Wild: the Wildlife Trusts' annual challenge to do one wild thing a day throughout the month of June. Back for its sixth year, the UK’s biggest nature challenge invites you to try 30 random acts of wildness, from litter picking to planting wildflower seeds. You’re supported every step of the way, joining a supportive online community for inspiration, practical advice and wildlife-watching tips. Here’s what we learnt during our beastly month spent studying bugs and appreciating the fresh air.
You don’t have to be a tree hugger to appreciate nature
Appreciating nature might sound quite hippy, but it’s probably something you already do! If you’ve ever stopped to watch the clouds or gone on a sunset walk, you already understand the wonders of the outdoors. Connecting with nature is very personal and there’s no one way to do it. Actions range from in-passing observation to direct activism. Here are some of our favourite ways to go wild:
- Listening to birdsong
- Donating to a nature appeal
- Tasting a wild ingredient
- Exercising outdoors
- Going barefoot
- Feeding the birds (bonus points for installing your own birdbox!)
- Giving up on single-use plastics for a month
- Embracing Zero Waste fashion
- Bug hunting
- Sketching nature
- Signing an environmental petition
- Camping
- Having an outdoor picnic
- Reading nature poetry (or writing your own!)
- Watching a wild webcam
- Writing to your MP on issues of environmental concern
- Choosing a colour and looking for it in nature
- Making wild art
- Mapping local wildlife
- Creating a hedgehog highway
- Fundraising for local wildlife projects
- Hiking
Nature replenishes you
The restorative elements of the outdoors are well known; fresh air and sunshine are prescribed by nature. We love this quote by Dr Alice Roberts: “Getting out in the natural world is good for the mind and body. And it’s not just for the weekend - it should be every single day”. We’ll continue to immerse ourselves in nature long after the challenge ends.
Small individual actions can have a powerful cumulative impact
With over 1 million participants to date (and a record 650,000 nature appreciators in 2020!), the 30 Days Wild challenge encourages you to take small actions that, collectively, can have a big impact. Last year alone, supporters completed over 16 million acts of wildness, each one bringing us closer to living in harmony with our surroundings. And it doesn’t stop there! 88% of participants said they were very likely to make their garden more wildlife-friendly after participating in 30 Days Wild, or had already done so. What’s more 74% said they had either already taken action to reduce their carbon footprint, or were very likely to after taking part in 30 Days Wild.
Reconnecting with nature is a fundamental part of sustainability
That’s because an appreciation for nature goes hand-in-hand with wanting to protect the planet. Green at heart, our whimsical prints are inspired by nature and designed to capture the magic of the outdoors. It’s this appreciation that drives our selection of materials, packaging and processes that have a minimal impact on the environment. Sustainability starts with an appreciation and respect for the thing you are saving: the earth and those who inhabit it.