July 3 is International Plastic Bag Free Day — a reminder to ditch disposables and sing along with artists who’ve raised their voices for the Earth. These 10 environmental anthems remind us why the fight to protect our planet matters — and why music might just be one of its greatest allies.

“Big Yellow Taxi” – Joni Mitchell
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot — Joni’s iconic warning about environmental destruction still rings true decades later. A catchy chorus, a chilling truth.

“Earth Song” – Michael Jackson
What about elephants? What about rain? Michael’s powerful ballad channels spiritual grief for a planet slipping away in silence.

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” – Kermit the Frog
Yes, the Muppet classic — but behind the felt is a song about embracing nature and identity. It’s heartfelt, simple, and strangely perfect for today.

“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” – Marvin Gaye
Pollution, radiation, oil spills — Marvin Gaye saw the writing on the wall in 1971. A soulful plea for a cleaner, safer Earth.

“Beds Are Burning” – Midnight Oil
The land belongs to the First Nations — and Midnight Oil made sure the world heard it. A fierce political and ecological anthem with stadium-sized urgency.

“My City Was Gone” – The Pretenders
Strip malls and highways swallowed hometown memories. Chrissie Hynde’s song mourns the loss of nature to unchecked development.

“No More Plastic” – The 1975
A spoken word piece with climate activist Greta Thunberg at the helm — an urgent wake-up call in the form of indie minimalism.

“Pollution” – Tom Lehrer
Witty, sarcastic, and depressingly accurate — Tom Lehrer’s satire on smog, sludge, and waste might make you laugh before it makes you cry.

“Rainforest” – Paul Hardcastle
An instrumental groove with a message in its name. Smooth jazz meets soundscape tribute to endangered ecosystems.

“Where Do the Children Play?” – Cat Stevens
Can progress coexist with preservation? Cat Stevens wonders if bulldozers and highways have left any room for future generations to dream.