Every year, on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth day to promote environmental protection. Earth Day originated in the United States in 1970, and has been spreading around the world since then. As of 2023, over 190 countries have engaged in Earth Day, and the number of participants every year leads up to 1 billion globally.
History of Earth Day
The first Earth Day in 1970 was led by a United States senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues that arose within the nation due to 150 years of industrial development. The name Earth Day instantly sparked the media’s attention, inspiring 20 million Americans, approximately 10% of the total population of the United States at the time, to join the rally.
Earth Day 1970 gained support from a wide range of citizens and became a huge success. It even had significant impacts on politics, leading to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of numerous environmental laws. These laws include the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and so on. Hundreds of species were saved from extinction and millions of citizens were protected from diseases and death as a result.
In 1990, Earth Day became a global event, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries. Earth Day 1990 allowed environmental issues to be recognized on a global scale, and contributed to the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Why is Earth Day so important?
There are many environmental issues arising in the world today, mainly due to human activities. These problems are increasing in severity every year, and urgent actions are necessary to prevent further damage.
One example of an environmental challenge would be global warming. Global warming is a gradual increase in the average temperature of the planet. The warming itself has been progressing for a long period of time, however, its pace increased significantly in the last hundred years due to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is when the sun’s ray that entered the Earth’s atmosphere cannot escape back into space. The main cause of this effect is the greenhouse gasses which are carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide, which are emitted by the burning of fossil fuels.
Global warming is also a cause of climate change, a change in the seasonal and weather patterns around the world. Climate change poses serious threats on the environment, society, and economy in ways such as sea level rise, decrease in water quality due to droughts, extreme weather, wildfire, and increase in risks of certain diseases like heat stroke and hypothermia.
What can we do?
There are many things we could do to tackle climate problems. One common yet significant method is to avoid using plastic items. Plastic takes from 20 to 500 years for its full decomposition. Marine wildlife is the main victim of plastic pollution. Organisms can mistake plastic waste for prey and die of starvation as their stomachs fill up with plastic. Sharp plastic pieces can inflict internal or external injuries, leading to reduced swimming abilities or infections. Many countries and organizations are taking measures to reduce the use of plastic. Japan is one example since they mandated charges for plastic bags in all stores from July 2020.
Earth Day is an opportunity for all of us to learn more about the planet we live in and environmental problems that are threatening it. Many of these issues derive from human activities such as industrial development and it is our responsibility to act against its progression. Consider making small changes to your daily life to help create a healthy and safe future.
Citations
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"アースデイとは？地球のためにできることから、取り組み事例・Sdgsの関係 - Sdgsメディア『Spaceship Earth（スペースシップ・アース）』". Sdgsメディア『Spaceship Earth（スペースシップ・アース）』 - 企業や自治体の取り組み事例から学ぶsdgs・私たちにできること, 2023, https://spaceshipearth.jp/earthday/#%E3%80%90%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E3%80%91%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%87%E3%82%A4%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
"10 Ways To Reduce Your Environmental Impact | Bare Blends Blog". Bareblends.Com.Au, 2023, https://bareblends.com.au/blog/10-ways-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
Seo, Yuna, and Fumiko Kudo. "Charging Plastic Bags: Perceptions From Japan". PLOS Sustainability And Transformation, vol 1, no. 5, 2022, p. e0000011. Public Library Of Science (Plos), doi:10.1371/journal.pstr.0000011. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
“Consequences of Climate Change.” Climate Action, climate.ec.europa.eu/climate-change/consequences-climate-change_en. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
Davidson, Rose. “Earth Day Facts and History.” Celebrations, National Geographic Kids, 9 Mar. 2021, kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
“Marine Plastic Pollution.” IUCN, 20 July 2022, www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/marine-plastic-pollution. Accessed 21 Apr 2023.
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