On Jane Goodall Day, you can honour Jane by making a positive difference: planting a tree, participating in community clean-ups, donating to a cause, choosing plant-based meals and advocating for animal welfare and our planet.
Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, was a remarkable example of courage and conviction, working tirelessly throughout her life to raise awareness about threats to wildlife, promote conservation, and inspire a more harmonious, sustainable relationship between people, animals and the natural world.
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Dr. Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall Day is celebrated annually on April 3rd – her birthday – to honour the renowned conservationist’s legacy through global action, #GoodAllDay. Launched by the Jane Goodall Institute in 2026, this day encourages individuals to make a positive impact on animals, people, and the environment.
On Jane Goodall Day, you can honour Jane by making a positive difference. Below are some ideas on how you can do this.
1. Nature walk
Wherever you are, you can honour her love for the natural world. Walk among the trees, watch for birds, and enjoy the fresh air.
2. Film screening
Find time with your loved ones and watch Jane Goodall: The Hope, or one of the other films about her life and her work.
3. Start a Book Club
Start your own book club with one of her books. Share your favourite passages, discuss ideas she wrote about, spark action with her words.
4. Build a community garden or plant a tree
Take part in community gardening with your neighbours – there’s nothing like picking your own fruit and vegetables!
Jane loved planting trees – and when she was done, she would kiss the tree! She said that this gave the tree energy, and that she got energy back. Try this one out for yourself!
5. Start composting your kitchen waste
Meaningful change begins in our own homes. But its impact knows no boundaries. As Dr. Jane always says: “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
You can make an immediate difference by joining the #JanesGreenHope campaign and pledging to reduce your environmental impact through composting.
By turning your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil that supports biodiversity, you’re not just transforming your immediate environment; you’re strengthening a vital link in Earth’s carbon cycle.
Click here to take the pledge and get started!
6. Recycle your smartphone
There are 6 billion smartphone users in the world right now. You are one of them.
The resources used to make your cellphone come with very high costs. The increase in cellphone purchases over the years has encouraged upwards of 10,000 illegal miners to start extracting coltan, an ore used in cellphones, from Africa’s forests. And the Democratic Republic of Congo, an important area for chimpanzees and other animals, is at the centre of this activity.
But you can help reverse this trend. When you recycle your cellphone, you help slow down coltan extraction. Reusing and recycling devices reduces demand and, thus, reduces illegal mining in protected rainforests. Only 10% of smartphone users will recycle their cellphones. Will you be one of them?
7. Start a community fundraiser
Jane understood the importance of people working together. With your community, raise vital funds for local conservation initiatives – and inspire others at the same time.
8. Have a whisky, Jane-style!
Dr. Jane loved her whisky “neat, with a wee splash of water.” She found the drink helped soothe her throat and protect her voice, which was necessary – considering the important messages she needed to spread around the world. While enjoying your Jane-style whisky, remember to make a toast to an iconic woman!
9. Eat like Jane
Livestock production and factory farming are harming our planet. Livestock production, for example, accounts for between 14% and 18% of greenhouse gas emissions globally – more than cars and vans.
And with factory farming’s intensive animal agricultural practices, animals and the environment are negatively impacted. Indeed, when she realised that factory farming was responsible for the suffering of millions of animals around the world, Dr. Jane went vegan.
You could, too! You could start by eating less meat or skipping meat one day each week. When people around the world skip meat for just one day, the impact adds up. You could start there and go completely plant-based in time – to improve your health, to save animals from suffering, and to protect our planet from the impacts of climate change.
10. Sign up for the Hope Notes newsletter from the Jane Goodall Institute
Monthly Hope Notes from the Jane Goodall Institute shares messages of hope, action, and inspiration. You can expect to find:
- A digest of information, inspiration, and community action from the frontlines of the conservation movement.
- Actions and ways to make a difference for other animals and the environment we share.
Jane Goodall Day is not just a celebration of Jane – it is a reminder that we all have the power to uphold her remarkable legacy, and to work towards a bright future together.
https://www.animalagricultureclimatechange.org/goodallday-jane-goodall/
