What Earth Day is all about and why it calls for a celebration... and how to celebrate it!
Celebration of our planet!
By Daphne D’Gama
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| Forty years after the world celebrated its first Earth Day, we are still struggling against climate change and its adverse effects. Why then do we say Earth Day is a “celebration”? While climate change is one of the greatest challenges today, it is also the greatest opportunities to build a clean and green planet and keep it that way!
Originally founded by US Senator, Gaylord Nelson in 1970, Earth Day is the largest, most widely celebrated international environmental event. On 21 March, 1971, United Nations Secretary-General, U.Thant, made Earth Day an international celebration, first speaking about it at a Peace Bell Ceremony at the United Nations in New York City. And, in 1990, the first official International Earth Day was celebrated. About 200 million people from 141 nations took part in a celebration of environmental conservation.
Earth Day is a day to promote awareness and appreciation for our environment. It is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Several communities also recognise Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. In the US, Earth Day is celebrated each year on 22 of April.
Children and adults all over the world are involved in rallies, carrying signs with slogans and messages about preserving nature, having environmental programs like seminars, discussions, debates, quizzes, painting competitions, bicycle rallies, planting trees and participating in clean-ups. To get the celebration started in your area, there are a numerous ways you could do to show that you care. Here's some of them, and you can add your own special eco-ideas, too!
What you could do for earth day:
1. PLANT TREES: Plant a few samplings in your garden or pot plants in your homes. Vegetable or flowering plants are a good idea. It will also help make your home cooler in the summer and look prettier.
2. SHELTER AN ANIMAL: Animals are an important part of our environment. Get together with family and friends to build a birdhouse, place a cup or bowl of water for thirsty birds, feed some helpless strays or place a rug for a homeless kitten or puppy.
3. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT: Earth Day is an excellent time to get to know more about environment issues. Read online or borrow some library books and magazines on pollution, endangered species, climate change or read about some region like the artic, rainforests or deserts.
 © 2009 EarthSmiles.net . All rights reserved. Made from 100% recycled pixels. 4. REDUSE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REPLENISH AND RESTORE: Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products - these don't have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take your drink container with you, and don't use any disposable plates or cutlery. Recycle all the things you use for the day or find other uses for things that you no longer use. Carry a cloth or jute bag for carrying things and recycle your plastic bags.
5. COOK A SPECIAL EARTH DAY MEAL: Plan a menu that uses locally produced foods, is healthy and has minimal impact on the environment. Try and eat organic. Decorate the table with recycled decorations. 6. USE ECO-FRIENDLY TANSPORTATION: You could ride your bike or walk to office or school. It’s good exercise as well save energy.
7. GIFT YOURSELF A ECO-FRIENDLY PRESENT: Choose from a wide range of products – solar cookers, water heater, rechargeable batteries, solar battery chargers, electric scooters etc which will be beneficial for the year round and make a positive change to the environment.
8. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: You could support an environmental cause, help a nature-friendly group, sign up for a campaign, join a nature club or take part in some eco-friendly activities.
9. SPREAD THE WORD: You can spread awareness by wearing green or blue (colours symbolising the earth), play environmental song (type the words like ‘earth’ or ‘environment’on youtube.com, change your desktop background to something inspirationally green, engage others in a conservation about environmental concerns, conduct eco-friendly activities in your classroom, school, office and homes.
10. MAKE EVERYDAY EARTH DAY: If you felt good eating organic or walking/riding to work/school or refusing a pastic bag at a store, make it an everyday practice or do it as frequently as you can! Earth Day reminds us that we all share the same planet. Sharing planet earth means taking equal responsibility for what we use and how we use it. It is a day to think of the environmental challenges we face and how to solve them. Protecting and conserving our planet is every individual and every country’s responsibility. |
