Earth Day 2022- Invest in Our Planet!

Today the 22nd of April 2022 is Earth Day. Also known as International Mother Earth Day, this day focuses on the climate change that the earth is facing. It is a day to spread awareness about the major issues like climate change, deforestation, global warming, and pollution. On this day, we give ourselves a reminder to express gratitude towards mother nature. This is to be done by taking thoughtful actions. Being a part of initiatives and organizations that work for the restoration of Earth is one way to take care of our planet.

The theme for this year is ‘Invest in Our Planet’. What does it mean? Investment can be through various means. The main idea of the theme is to make changes in our activities in such a way that it benefits our Earth. Shifting towards greener and cleaner options will be one huge investment. Today if you browse Google, you will see a time-lapse animation. Google took this initiative to spread awareness about the effects of climate change. The animation is of four locations that will change every hour. Let us understand World Earth Day a little better by reading this article.

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History of Earth Day

Earth Day was celebrated for the first time on April 22, 1970. This was the same year when the Environmental Protection Agency was formed. It was peace activist John Mc Connell’s idea to honor Mother Earth. He proposed it at the UNESCO Conference held in San Francisco. Since then, International Mother Earth Day is celebrated on the 22nd of April every year. There are rallies and events to mark this day. People talk about the environmentalists and social activists who engaged in spreading awareness. Every year, a theme is given for World Earth Day. In 2021 for instance, ‘Restore Our Earth’ was the theme while in 2020 ‘Climate Action’ was the theme. These themes remind the major concerns of each year.

Earth Day Facts

You might be saying Happy Earth Day today. But do you know that there are 190 countries where people celebrate this day? It is the largest secular observance in the world. Read more such interesting facts about this day here.

• The first time this day was celebrated, it witnessed a protest by about 20 million people against industrial pollution, loss of biodiversity, and ecological degradation.
• Initially, this day was celebrated only by the United States.
• The name International Mother Earth Day in 2009 was given by the UN.
• China observed thousands of people riding bicycles to go carbon neutral on 22nd April 2012.
• Indian poet Abhay Kumar wrote one of the most popular Earth Day songs called Earth Anthem.
• This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the day.

What you can do for the Planet?

The main idea of celebrating 22nd April is to spread awareness. It is to make everybody realize how we might be running out of time to take care of our planet. Every great revolution had the first step. Let this Earth Day be yours. Here are some things you can do.

• Make yourself aware of what is happening around the world. Read news articles to know how Climate Change is not a thing of the future anymore. It is happening now. There are people who are affected by it. The more knowledge you have, the more empathetic you will become.
• Be a part of organizations that work on the ground level. Invest some part of your time to work for these organizations.
• Raise your voice against schemes/projects that are harmful to the environment in the long term. Talk to people about it and organize together.
• Read about indigenous communities and educate others. We all know the role they play in taking care of the environment.
• If possible switch to environmentally friendly options.
• Read books by environmentalists to know the history of environmental movements.

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This World Earth Day, let us do a bit more than before. Let us do the best we can. Start from anywhere you can- talk to a friend, read an article, watch an interview. If you want to see a change, all you can do is begin somewhere. Happy Earth Day!

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