Call to Earth Day: Taking action to protect the planet

From the base of a giant banyan tree at the American Embassy School of New Delhi, India, CNN’s Vedika Sud explains how students are growing a stronger connection to the majestic plant species in their backyard.

Primary students at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi, dressed in green and blue to support Call to Earth Day, and discussed ways to reduce plastic waste.

Sometimes, environmental action starts in your own backyard. 

To celebrate Call to Earth Day, Eco Urban Gardens, an agricultural organization that leads education programs on urban farming, invited students to La Madera Community Gardens to learn how to compost and plant resilient, edible plants that support the environment.

In Bangladesh, ambassadors from the Green Hope Foundation planted pumpkins, radishes and spinach to help combat land degradation.

A grade 4 class at Hariri High School II in Lebanon planted fruits and vegetables including strawberries, green peppers and potatoes in their new school garden. 

Students at Al Hekma International School (AHIS) in Bahrain have been reducing their carbon footprint with a school garden and greenhouse, where they planted a range of herbs, spices, shrubs and vegetables, and learned about ways to reduce water and energy consumption.

Cornwall Hill College in South Africa took recycling to a new level for Call to Earth Day, with a rainbow mural that gave a colorful makeover to old plastic bottle caps. Inspired by the book, "The Dot," by Peter H. Reynolds, students in grades 1 through 7 each decorated a plastic lid, creating their own unique mark on the mural.

CNN's David Culver visits the garden classroom at the Western International School of Shanghai, where young students are growing their own vegetables -- and actually want to eat their greens.

Green Factor Lebanon, a grassroots initiative, is turning “trash to hope.” The group collects discarded plastic bottles, which it sells for recycling, or upcycles them into plant pots, available for purchase at pop-up events. All the money raised goes into funds for children fighting cancer. 

The group says it has collected more than 500 kilograms of plastic to date, and it recently achieved its goal of raising 10,000,000 Lebanese pounds ($6,620), which it estimates will help fund free treatment for 180 children. 

At The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun, students are taking a hands-on approach to learning about the greenhouse gas effect. CNN’s Steven Jiang meets Year Six students who are building terrariums -- miniature greenhouses with a self-contained climate.

Art is a powerful tool to share ideas and raise awareness about climate change. Schools around the globe are using paper, pencils and paint to celebrate Call to Earth Day.

Preschoolers at Hariri High School II in Lebanon practiced their coloring skills on some picture-perfect Earth drawings.

In Brunei, students at Jerudong International School created detailed sketches of plants and animals that need protection through conservation.

At Abdul Hamid Sharaf School in Jordan, students have created mixed-media artwork to celebrate our planet.

Some students are working on collaborative art projects. This chalk mural at UWC South East Asia, Singapore, showcases the biodiversity of the school’s herb garden and outdoor learning spaces.

As the saying goes, “we are what we eat” -- but our food choices can also impact the health of our planet. Melody Melo-Rijk, project manager of Sustainable Consumption and Production for the World Wildlife Fund-Philippines, tells CNN’s John Vause what makes a truly sustainable diet.