Bindi Irwin Suggests Small Ways to Protect the Planet

Bindi with a phython, which can eat venomous snakes. For Bindi, every day is Earth Day. 

“For me, conservation work isn’t just a job. It’s a part of who I am,” says Bindi Irwin. The 25-year-old is a conservationist, zookeeper, public speaker, and actress. She was named after a favorite crocodile of her late father Steve’s at Australia Zoo, Home of the Crocodile Hunter, which is owned by the Irwin family.

Earth Day is on April 22 this year. So I thought it would be a good time to get tips about helping the environment from Bindi, whose family is known worldwide for their conservation efforts. She answered my questions via email from Beerwah, a small town on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland where the zoo is located. 

Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. Since then, it has become the “largest civic event on Earth,” according to organizers. Over the years, the annual event has mobilized one billion people “for the future of the planet.” 

Bindi, who is married and has a young daughter, is dedicated to animal conservation. 

“PROTECTING ANIMALS”

For Bindi and other conservationists, every day is Earth Day. “From the moment I can remember, my parents have involved me in their conservation work every chance they got,” Bindi explained. “Growing up, all I wanted was to be part of their work with wildlife and wild places. I wanted to be just like my parents, protecting animals and making a positive difference in the world.”

Along with her mother, Terri, and her brother, Robert, Bindi carries on the work begun by her father, one of the most famous and beloved conservationists on the planet. He was tragically killed in 2006 by a stingray while filming in the Great Barrier Reef, which is located off the coast of Queensland. Before that, Steve and Terri hosted a popular wildlife TV series called The Crocodile Hunter. 

“I feel so lucky to have travelled around the world with my family, on many, many different conservation missions,” Bindi told me. “It opened my eyes to understanding that it is up to all of us to do our part in caring for the planet.”

Although the Irwin family is known for preserving wildlife, Bindi explained that such efforts benefit people, too. “Conservation isn’t just about woodland creatures,” she wrote. “Ultimately, it’s about us as humans. We are connected and reliant on our natural world for our own survival.”

An endangered Sumatran tiger lounges at the Australia Zoo in Queensland. 

“BELIEVE IN YOUR STRENGTH”

Bindi is familiar to many TV viewers because of shows like Crikey! It’s the Irwins; Bindi: The Jungle Girl; and even Dancing With the Stars. On stage or at the zoo, Bindi encourages kids to make a positive difference for the environment. “Believe in your strength to change the world,” she tells them. “You can undertake and accomplish anything you put your mind to. Your kind actions—even the small ones—can create waves of positive change.”

For kids who can’t visit the zoo, Bindi shared some ideas for helping the environment, on Earth Day and every day:

• Organize a day of cleanup at a local beach, park, or in your neighborhood.
• Turn off the tap water while you brush your teeth.
• Discover the many different ways to recycle waste.
• Find reusable alternatives for everyday household items.
• Plant a tree, native bug garden, or create a pond habitat in your backyard.