Earth Day history: 5 facts you have to know about this day
The 22nd of April of each year has become an important date in that it is a day dedicated across the world for celebrating Earth Day. This period avails the organisers the opportunity to address various issues of concern in the environment. Interestingly, to mark off this year's celebration, the Earth Day theme focuses on "Invest In Our Planet". This 49th annual celebration aims at drawing everyone's attention to the increasing extinction of various species all over the world because of human activity.
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Source: UGC
With more than a billion people participating in this special activity every year, different policy acts and agreements are sanctioned. Some of these include the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and Clear Air Act. It is worth noting that the event has become the largest civic observance all over the world. In short, this event has become significant in that it recognises the importance of our planet and certain environmental issues like depleting resources, global warming and so on.
What is the history of Earth Day?
Earth Day is a yearly event that is celebrated on the 22nd of April. The first celebrat was on the 21st of March, 1970 and so far, over 193 countries participate in the annual celebration. Although another celebration takes place almost a month before the 22nd of April celebration, this date is when most people celebrate it in the United States. Sequel to the 1970 celebration, peace activist John McConnell who was an influential community activist and a newspaper publisher proposed the date in 1969 during UNESCO Conference that held in San Francisco.
The first celebration of this notable event took place at Spring Equinox and so far, this international event celebration is coordinated by Earth Day Network annually all over the world. To celebrate each year's event, there is always a theme which dictates what each festival would be focused on.
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What is the objective of Earth Day?
The international Earth Day is a day that has been set aside to increase the awareness about the environment, the issues that revolve around it as well as its peculiar problems. Considering the importance of Earth Day celebration, it has birthed several events that show support for the protection of the environment. For instance, while marking the world event in 2016, about 120 countries together with China and the United States signed the landmark Paris Agreement.
Earth Day facts that you must know
The following are some interesting facts that you should know about this international event celebration.
1. Oil spill inspired the launch of Earth Day
Because of a massive oil spill that happened in Santa Barbara, California, Senator Nelson was motivated to organise a day teaching nationally where the public was educated about issues that are associated with the environment. The oil spilled occurred when Union Oil Co. platform suffered a blowout after the oil workers drilled a well of oil which was about 3,500 down below feet. This rupture lasted for eleven days as the workers made an effort to cap the ugly incidence.
Source: UGC
2. Earth Day global celebration began in 1990
After a month of celebrating the event in March 1970, another event was separately established by Senator Gaylord Nelson in the United States. This was an environmental teach-in that held for the first time on the 22nd of April, 1970. Eventually, Nelson got a Presidential Medal of Freedom award to recognise what he did. More so, April 22 became the official date that focuses on the United States, and afterward, an organization that Denis Hayes launched took the day international by 1990 so that events held in 141 nations.
3. The first Earth Day held on April 22 to incorporate college kids
At the time that Senator Gaylord Nelson started to plan the first Earth Day, the reason why he chose 22nd of April was to have a massive number of college kids participate in the notable event. This date was strategically chosen because it would be after most of the schools had their spring break. The date was also projected to be after Easter and Passover held.
4. 2011 Earth Day celebration increased the number of trees planted
To celebrate the 2011 event, there was a massive plantation of trees in Afghanistan so that the Earth Day Network planted 28 million trees. This move was part of their campaign programme of "Plant Trees Not Bombs". Similarly, with the theme for the Earth Day celebration of 2016 which was "Trees for the Earth", the Earth Day Network has projected that by the year 2020, 7.8 billion trees would have been planted through the Canopy Project.
5. Earth Anthem was officially launched in 2013
To honour the plant and every inhabitant, Abhay Kumar, a diplomat and Indian poet wrote a piece titled the "Earth Anthem". Ever since it was launched in 2013, it has been translated into each of the official languages of the United Nations which include Spanish, English, Hindi, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, French and Nepali. Then, the lyrics of the anthem take after the tone of “Ode to Joy”, Ludwig van Beethoven's melody.
Earth Day celebration has become a significant platform through which various participators are educated on vital things issues of concern that will help in the protection of their environment and the protection of nature. More so, with the focus of the Earth Day celebration, we can expect an improvement in the standard of living of individuals and the preservation of various species that humanity is blessed with.
Source: Briefly News
