Every Day is an Earth Day!

22nd of April is considered to be an Earth Day worldwide and the whole week is usually dedicated to the environmentally-related educational activities. Here you will find an interesting information about what led to the first day of Earth being established and what is being done nowadays to promote the idea of climate and environment protection actions.

Currently events related to environmental protection are very popular due to raising ecological problems worldwide. If we do not take action now – tomorrow it may be too late, because we are already very far behind the climate action resolution and are much closer every day to raising the temperature bar up to two-three degrees Celsius.

In any case, back in 1960s, precisely in USA, problems of ecology did not matter so much and for example, having a big car that consumes a lot of gasoline and releases exhaust gases, was seen a prosperity and luxury. Political agenda did not include regulating the work of industrial companies in accordance to standards that would ensure less impacts on the environment. Enterprises would discharge many pollutants into the important parts of ecosystem – lakes, air, land and river and would not face any lawsuits. However, two factors have shifted the attention of the public in the right direction – in 1962 Rachel Carson published a bestseller called “Silent Spring” where the problem of dangerous pesticides’ effects on the American countryside is raised. Secondly, the event of Ohio State Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River fire in 1969, which was a consequence of chemical wastes’ disposal into the water, became a last drop and became a symbol of America’s natural resources destruction.

Fortunately for everyone, in 1962 Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin was elected to the U.S. Senate who was promoting the idea that the planet is in danger and risk and tried to convince the federal government accordingly. In his words he believed there needs to be a large-scale environmental demonstration “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda”. He announced his Earth Day concept at a fall conference in Seattle in 1969 and the people’s response was positive and electric – everyone felt a need for a long time for a forum to express their concerns about ecology. So, the first Earth Day took place on April, 22 1970 in USA as an education day about environmental issues with speeches and performances.

It is a great initiative that went “viral” and is spread across the world. It is a necessity to have this kind of educational weeks to engage more people to be in solidarity with others on ensuring that it is possible to have a better future where we do not ruin nature and environment but help it as much as we can. You can join even right now with the website of an Earth Day https://www.earthday.org – there are up to 52actions and ways to follow and make a change. From planting trees, cleaning up the land, making sustainable clothes up to participating in debates and forums and advocating a change in environmental sphere.

However, I still believe that once you are in this topic – you do not hold on to some specific day to take an action. In fact, every day is an Earth Day. There are many ways you can help it, starting with small things. For example, buying a reusable cup instead of purchasing every time one from plastic or switching to second hand clothes instead focusing on cheap fancy clothes from mass market.

As from my point of view, you should get to know people who can provide you an expertise about something. It is also related to sustainable development and environment issues – if you have friends or acquaintances who can clarify some moments for you or educate you more – do not hesitate to ask their help. For example, I myself am quite interested in the topic and since this year am trying to get more familiar with it in many ways. Recently I have hosted a podcast with one of my fellow volunteers – Johanna Sturm who shared her opinion and view to the whole sustainable development approach. I believe it is something that gets people inspired to join – a real example and the understanding that you can move with little steps at a time to be able to reach a greater goal in the end. Hopefully, you are inspired and if not fully yet – check out also the next episode of the podcast later next weeks on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7zYBiTWMNQmzfkXMAIIWLX?si=fbefeecd5cc845b5

Author: Anastasiia Zhmankova

Photos source:
https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2021/04/earth_day_2021/23261663-3-eng-GB/Earth_Day_2021_pillars.jpg
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/

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