Editor's note: The University of Delaware is joining the more than 1 billion people, governments, institutions, and businesses who participate in Earth Day — Saturday, April 22 — to recognize our collective responsibility and to help accelerate the transition to a brighter, greener, and more equitable future for generations to come.

As we approach Earth Day, four University of Delaware researchers explain how their work addresses some of the greatest challenges facing the planet.

In this segment, UD’s Doug Tallamy answers a question posed by Shayna Demick, an Honors environmental science major, about one simple action we can all take to help wildlife. 

Tallamy is an expert on the science of plant-insect interactions, with a passion for helping people create wildlife habitat right in their own backyards and communities. Research by the New York Times’ bestselling author has been instrumental to the Native Plant Finder, created by the National Wildlife Federation as a tool to help identify the best native plants for your area for supporting birds and other wildlife. 

Demick is both a Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) Environmental Scholar and a Climate Scholar, as well as an intern at the Climate Change Hub.