There is no avoiding the constant news articles and statistics on global warming, melting ice caps, and global environmental crises. Even though it may all feel distant or irreconcilable, there are still ways to flip a switch for the planet in our everyday lives. Using reusable bottles and containers, recycling in the designated bins, or taking shorter showers can each have an impact in a significant way. Imagine your daily routine. Just how many times during the day do you eat? Drink water? Use water for that matter? Besides the obvious resources we use from the earth, everything from your toothbrush to your headphones is made from natural minerals and metals. Our entire lives are built from the earth, civilization being a culmination of such crucial materials and their specific use.
In 1969, John McConnell proposed a special day for honoring the Earth at a UNESCO conference, launching the idea by 1970 that would later give it the title “Earth Day.” Recurring on April 22nd every year, Earth Day sets aside time to support the environment in global acknowledgment. Major communities come together to brainstorm and carry out thorough projects. Elementary schools go above and beyond to teach their young students through coloring pages and nature walks. But in between these passionate stages of life, there is only a blank line one takes with them after leaving those colorful classrooms. There is no better time than the present to think back and see how the natural depictions still apply to every moment of life, on and off campus.
The event has recently transitioned towards online mobilization, compared to the floods of people in the streets the world is used to seeing. The very first celebration garnered the support of around 20 million Americans. Likewise, there is still an increasing number of participants every year focused on helping the planet for the benefit of all, even if this isn’t seen visually.
The concept over time has shifted from a day to reflect on peace, to a day to eliminate the unlivable conditions faced by those in cramped cities with little money to go around. There is a newer emphasis on water and air pollution issues for their widespread effects. Each year a theme is released to help groups and individuals focus their initiatives. In previous years, some themes have included endangered species, oil spills, homelessness, lead paint in housing, fighting freeways, protecting the ozone layer, and everything in between. For 2024, the theme is “Planet vs. Plastics”, encouraging large companies to stay mindful of their plastic use in packaging and production, as well as calling to consumers to recycle, or not use such plastic at all.
Stay tuned throughout the week of April 22nd, when there will be ways to show your pride in the planet and learn new ways to incorporate sustainable habits into your lifestyle. The mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle” seems like a grade school fever dream phrase, but it is still wholly relevant. There is no planet Earth as we know it today without the people who built societies on it. Yet, there would be no people without the resources provided by our planet, this one and only, Earth.
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