Earth Day is an annual global celebration held on April 22nd to honor the environmental movement and promote awareness about pollution and solutions to keep the environment clean.
According to the United Nations (UN), the main motive behind celebrating this day is to remind us that the Earth and its ecosystems provide us with life and sustenance. This Day also honors a societal duty, as stated in the 1992 Rio Declaration, to promote harmony with nature and the Earth in order to create a just balance between present and future generations' economic, social, and environmental requirements.
This day serves as a chance to increase global public awareness about the difficulties facing the planet's well-being and all of the life it supports.
History
In 1970, a United States junior senator from Wisconsin, Senator Gaylord Nelson, organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues, which became known as Earth Day. It was in January 1969, that he and many others in Santa Barbara, California, witnessed the devastation of a large oil spill.
Senator Nelson was inspired by the student anti-war movement and sought to combine the energy of student anti-war rallies with a growing public awareness of air and water pollution. Denis Hayes, a young activist, was recruited to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.
Together, they changed the name of this event to "Earth Day" seeking national support. Earth Day mobilized the support of 20 million Americans — 10% of the country's population at the time — to take to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to protest the effects of 150 years of industrial progress, which had left a growing legacy of major human health consequences.
Thousands of colleges and institutions held protests against environmental degradation, and there were large gatherings in cities, towns, and neighborhoods around the country. Rallies were held around the country, and the Environmental Protection Agency was established by the end of the year.
5 solutions towards change:
"Invest In Our Planet" is the theme for Earth Day 2022. This theme intends to discuss not only individual acts we can take to make the world a better place, but also how we spend our money on companies who care about the environment.
Here are some steps one could take to celebrate Earth Day in the best manner! Let us implement these changes now.
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Be a Waste Warrior
In a landfill, a plastic bottle can take up to 450 years to decompose. Consider whether anything can be recycled or utilized before throwing it away. You can also cut down on waste by purchasing fewer items. Before going to the store, for instance, check the library for that book you need to read.
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Go Green
Researchers estimate that 15 billion trees are cut down each year throughout the world; you may help balance this loss by planting your own tree. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by trees, which is then released as oxygen for us to breathe.
They also provide food and shelter to creatures like squirrels and owls. In hotter months, depending on where trees are planted, their shade may even lessen the demand for air conditioning. How many more reasons do you need to switch to a green
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3 R's Mantra
The three R's of the environment, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle , are critical components of the Waste Hierarchy. The three R's collaborate to reduce waste generation and improve the waste management process.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle help conserve the environment by lowering carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. You may contribute to this effort by making a few little modifications to your everyday routine. To breathe and live well, everyone's input is required.
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Limit water usage
Reducing our water consumption lowers the amount of energy required to treat and carry it to homes, companies, farms, and communities, reducing pollution and conserving fuel resources.
Failure to conserve water can lead to a shortage of sufficient water supply, which can have serious repercussions. Among these are growing expenses, dwindling food supplies, health risks, and political strife.
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Volunteer
Make the world a better place! Volunteer on the occasion of Earth Day. You could start by picking up trash from the streets, participating in beach clean-ups with Child Help Foundation, feeding the strays on the streets, or the easiest of them all - pledge to save electricity by switching off plugs that aren't necessary!
Volunteering can give you multiple benefits and make you as well as the Earth happier!