13 Apr 50 Years of the Biggest Environmental Movement
It has been half a century since the conception of Earth Day in the United States. A lot has been accomplished so far, but we have an even longer way to go in support of environmental protection. Now with a green network backed by 193 countries, this is not at all impossible.
A Voice to Consciousness
The boom of the US economy in the 1960s was coming at the cost of the environment. There was no stopping the chemical and oil industries from spewing harmful wastes from their factories.
During the Vietnam War, small groups came forth and held demonstrations to emphasise the deterioration of our planet’s health. In 1969, an oil spill that claimed the lives of over 10,000 marine animals served as a wake-up call to policy-makers, most notably Senator Gaylord Nelson who campaigned for safer industrial practices and founded Earth Day on April 22, 1970.
United States Stood United
20 million Americans came together and showed up for the Earth on that very remarkable day. Green activities were organised, discussions were held, and policies were reviewed.
Earth Day 1970 inspired a series of radical changes in the environmental landscape of the US, and later on in the world.
1990: Going Global
By the 1990s, Earth Day had become a global movement. 200 million people from 141 countries were mobilised. The 1990 Earth Day boosted recycling efforts and paved the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. As the founder of Earth Day, Senator Nelson was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given to civilians in the United States.
Stronger Together
Voices grew louder each year in support of the planet. Environmental groups across the world urged their governments to give global warming more importance and push for clean energy.
In 2000, Earth Day went digital and 5,000 environmental groups from 184 countries were able to reach millions to spark local and global conversations. As years passed, more global conferences were held to combat climate change. World leaders signed international treaties in favor of the environment. Efficient solutions are being made available so that each individual can make better choices for a greener planet.
Celebrate Your Planet
You hear it all the time: “you can make a difference.” That’s because it’s true. The little things you do contribute to the bigger picture. If close to 8 billion people did one small thing for the planet today, the difference will be felt by the entire world tomorrow.
There is a way we can all ensure we are doing our bit to secure the future of this planet: pledge.
Pledge to learn more about climate change. Pledge to fix your leaking faucet because it is wasting all that water. Pledge to plant more trees whenever you get the chance. Pledge to take part in a beach clean-up. Pledge to switch off all the unnecessary lights in your house. Pledge to always carry your reusable bags. Pledge to avoid single-use plastic. Pledge to educate and inform at least one person about the shifting climate. Pledge to adopt a creature at a wildlife preserve if you can. Pledge to walk short distances instead of taking your car out.
If we go about our lives with the bigger environmental picture always in mind, our day-to-day encounters may be a little different. Make each moment of your life here on earth more meaningful… and switch off those lights already.
Reem is the content executive at plasticfreeuae and the go-to source for everything sustainable in the UAE who strongly believes that mindsets can be changed through words.
