Founded in 1970, Earth Day is celebrated in the northern hemisphere in spring and in the southern hemisphere in autumn. The United Nations started celebrating it in the spring equinox of 1971.
This is Earth Day’s 45th anniversary with a focal theme where economic growth and sustainability join hands; the year when world leaders finally pass a binding climate change treaty; and citizens and organisations divest from fossil fuel investments and put their money into renewable energy solutions.
The US and China teamed up to announce a major step to cut down greenhouse gas emissions. Significantly these countries are beginning to earnestly tackle climate change.
World leaders meet on Earth Day 2015, to call for an end to all fossil fuel subsidies and to promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet.
The earth is not ours!
Earth Day is designed to inspire awareness of earth’s environment and is a fundamental opportunity for governments and individuals to voice and support a global green economy.
Let us educate our behaviour and give the environment a wide-ranging protection and thorough conservation. Pollution, exploitation, destruction of habitat and species increase an area’s vulnerability to natural disasters like flood and drought, crop failure, spread of disease and water contamination.
Plant a tree to reap interest in Earth. Trees improve the environment, purify the air, provide shade and shelter and sustain traditional livelihoods and cultures. Man’s neglect of afforestation has greatly reduced earth’s fertility.
Trees establish a buffer against tsunami devastation. Farmers use them to tie down steep hillsides, stabilise unsteady stream banks and screen off cultivated fields from harmful winds. Trees are nature’s most efficient weapons of soil defence. Earth’s green cover is nature’s capital and if man exacts more than the interest, he endangers the source of wealth and means of his existence on the planet.
Earth Day is observed by outdoor performances, where individuals/groups perform a service to Earth: tree-planting, programmes for recycling and conservation, roadside and beach cleaning, petitions for stronger action against global warming and environmental destruction. There are also media programmes that deal with environmental issues.
Pledge to reduce energy consumption and stand together to show the world a new direction - our turn to lead so our leaders can follow example. A tough issue but the future of our planet and the survival of life on earth are at stake.