Bring the beauty of nature to your wallpaper this Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

This oft-ignored holiday deserves better than to be relegated to documentary films and the occasional tree-planting! This is the only life-sustaining planet we've got (for now), and it's our job to love and protect our home planet. There are plenty of charities that you can donate to, such as the World Wildlife Fund and the aptly-named Earth Day Network, and you should consider using Amazon Smile so that every time you buy a new case, cable, or some leftover Cadbury eggs, a portion of your sale is donated to charity! Even if you're not quite up to putting your money where your mouth is, at least put a reminder to be kind to the planet on your home screen, where these wallpapers can inspire you to do more and remind us the beauty that surrounds us on this little blue ball.

If you want a ridiculous amount of natural photos in large resolution and ridiculously good quality, reddit has got you covered with the subreddit called /r/EarthPorn. From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans, if you need a wallpaper to let you marvel at Earth and her natural beauty, EarthPorn has got you! For instance, this jaw-dropping beauty of a trident coming out of a geyser in Iceland makes me want to go on a vacation to witness the majestic beauty, and it makes we want to curl up in bed and re-watch The Little Mermaid. Light, dark, vivid, muted, there is a wallpaper in EarthPorn for everyone.

/r/EarthPorn

Google Wallpapers is a fantastic Google app devoted to one thing, and one thing only: getting you a cool, new wallpaper. To this end, Google Wallpapers has a wide array of wallpapers for you to enjoy, and over half of these collections are devoted to Earth, from Google Earth satellite shots to Landscapes to Cityscapes to macro wallpapers of Life. Each collection has a daily wallpaper option, so you can get a new breathtaking view of Earth on your phone each and every day.

Google Wallpapers

Backdrops is a wallpaper app with an unparalleled collection of wallpapers from a great and growing number of artists, and so it should come as no surprise that the app is chock full of nature wallpapers. Backdrops has a collection of Earth satellite shots from Google Earth similar to Google's, but the shots contained here are a little more fantastical purples and golds mixed in with the traditional greens, blues, and browns. Just scrolling the main page in Backdrops will give you a wide variety of wallpapers with an Earth Day flare, from majestic mountains to lush trees and fantastic flowers. There are some paid wallpapers and collections in Backdrops, but most of the wallpapers you'll want for Earth Day are free.

Backdrops (in-app purchases)

Summer may be here before we know it, but gosh darn it, it's still spring and spring means wildflowers! And this patch blooming on a side of a mountain, with yet another mountain looming in the background, just makes me want to jump up and go for a nice long walk… and sprain my ankle walking along those bright rocks on the right side of the shot.

Mountain Wildflowers by TyeDueTwins

While it may not have a fire-breathing dragon hoarding gold inside, you can't help but wonder what mysteries these mountains are hiding in their mist. It's a truly breathtaking sight, and you have to wonder just what kind of stones the people who decided to climb this had.

Misty Mountains by McKay Savage

You've probably seen Trey Ratcliff's work before, especially if you have a Chromecast in your house, as his work is quite often featured on Backdrop. He's a prolific photographer that organizes photowalks and other photography events around the world, and he posts full-resolution photos on Google+ because they're one of the few networks that mean it when they say unlimited photo sizes. Take a peek at his posts, you will not be disappointed.

Pig and Pigeon Islands

The sun, the sea, the spray… Summer is just around the corner; why are we not at the ocean right now? Well, until we can go feel the salty sea air, the wind blowing in our face, at least we can have a bit of the ocean on our phones (y'know, without shorting it out). Whether you're dreaming of catch the perfect wave or maybe catching sight of a lovely mermaid on the other side of one, keep your dreams and your sights set on the sea!

Ocean Waves

Updated Earth Day 2018: This post has been expanded to include collections from Google, Backdrops, and Reddit.