Earth Day this year falls on April 22nd 2023. The theme is Invest In Our Planet.
To learn more and see what events are happening near you, visit the Earth Day website: Earthday.org.
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is a day to raise awareness about environmental issues, encourage positive action and inspire us to change for the better.
It began in America in the 1970s, when 20 million people came together to demonstrate against environmental deterioration, mainly due to industrial development and pollution. It began in the wake of two significant environmental events:
- The release of Rachel Carson’s famous book Silent Spring. It raised awareness of the many harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and wildlife and was instrumental in the fight against and eventual ban of DDT.
- The 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Around 3 million gallons of crude oil ended up in the ocean, spreading over 35 miles of California’s coastline. No animals were safe – thousands of seabirds, fish and mammals died as a result.
Earth Day has been growing ever since. In 1990 the campaign went global, with 141 countries getting involved in the action. and is now celebrated by over a billion people in over 192 countries worldwide every year.
Earth Day 2023 – Time to Invest in Our Planet
The theme of Earth Day 2023 is Invest In Our Planet. Its focus is building a sustainable future. It hopes to encourage governments, institutions and businesses across the globe to take stock of where they are and look at ways they can go greener. It’s about moving towards sustainable practices and leaving harmful ones behind.
What can I do to help?
There are many ways to help the planet this Earth Day.
- You can show your support by joining one of the many events that are going on around the world. Or, you could organise your own!
- Like and share Earth Day content on social media to raise awareness and help the message get to as many people as possible.
- Donate to EarthDay.org to help them with their fight.
These will all be beneficial, but it is important that we realise that the earth needs more than one day. It needs a lifetime of commitment. So perhaps the best thing you can do this Earth Day is to take a moment to reflect on your life – what changes can you make for a greener future?