Earth Day is Celebrated by 1 billion people around the globe, and you can join in in April 2022
Every year people come together from around the world to demonstrate support for environment protection. What started as a small event in 1970 now includes over 1 billion people in more than 193 countries, making it one of the largest secular events worldwide. Coordinated globally by earthday.org, the official theme for 2023 is “Invest in our Planet.”
The idea is based around several core goals including: broaden the meaning of environment to cover climate change, green schools, and renewable energy; diversifying the movement by engaging with local, national, and global events; recognising that climate change impacts the most vulnerable in society first and we need to share their voices in the community; to mobilise people within their communities by working with other organisations, and for them to get their citizens involved.
The main issues for Earth Day are organised as follows:
- Advocacy: supporters try to meet with organisations to discuss issues. The online program “Million Acts of Green” encourages individual lifestyle changes such as composting, reducing carbon footprint, and recycling.
- Climate Change: how humans contribute to climate change, and how we can slow the phenomenon. Many Earth Day supporters encourage people to support the Paris Climate change agreement, signed in 2016.
- Conservation & Biology: in 2010 Earth Day participants in Sri Lanka planted more than 100 medicinal plants throughout the tropical rainforest, enhancing the island’s biodiversity.
- Education: Earth Day provides education to other educators, students, and the general public on how to create a sustainable planet for our future. On Earth Day in 2010 teachers and students in the Philippines attended a conference and learned about tree planting and care, went on nature hikes, and presented their results to their community.
- Energy: helping to develop sources of renewable energy so that we can transition away from other fuels, including coal and oil. Citizens of Qatar were advised to switch off their power for one hour on Earth Day to symbolise their stance against global warming.
- Food & Agriculture: using chemical pesticides in farming contributes towards the destruction of the environment. Supporters advocate for greater support of organic, local, and sustainable agricultural techniques.
- Green Economy: the Students in Free Enterprise group in Saskatchewan, Canada, sponsors a prize for student projects that make best use of recycled materials, in support of green jobs.
- Green Schools: the Earth Day network sponsors the National Green Schools Campaign, which focuses on healthy lunches, environmental classroom activities, outreach to local and national leaders, and sustainable building techniques.
- Recycling & Waste Reduction: human waste is vast and increasing daily. This issue is addressed via initiatives like the Beach Bunch of Brunei, where beach clean up campaigns were organised.
- Sustainable Development: this is about supporting biodiversity and the natural world. Costa Rica implemented the Viaje Limpio program, where individuals and companies pay a fee for the greenhouse gases they produce through travel. The money then goes into protecting the rainforest. Costa Rica is notorious for their stunning rainforest which brings thousands of tourists annually.
What started as a single day in the United States has spanned into a global network with more than a billion people. From dining options, plant- based meat offers, tree planting, and activities for the whole family, the UAE hosts a plethora of events annually for Earth Day.
