There’s no place like home — and that's why we celebrate EARTH DAY. Discover the history of this important holiday and what you can do to make an impact.
This year is the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day — and this year’s celebration is more important than ever before. But where exactly did this important event for environmental protection come from?
The idea for Earth Day was originally created by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, with the purpose of drawing much needed attention to pressing environmental issues. But prior to this, the protection of our environment wasn't yet at the forefront of national or international politics; few policies had been made thus far — and change was long overdue.
Earth Day was thus created as an opportunity for those fighting a variety of environmental issues — from pollution to deforestation — to come together under one common cause: saving our Earth. Senator Nelson gathered a team of senators to work together to spread the word across college campuses in the United States. Students across the country had recently demonstrated their tenacity with anti-war efforts, and Senator Nelson knew that they would be equally passionate about fighting for our planet. He was right — 20 million Americans joined the protest across the country, inspiring the US federal government to create the Environmental Protection Agency to tackle environmental issues. 53 years later, over 1 billion people worldwide celebrate Earth Day every year.
But Earth Day doesn’t just start and stop on April 22. It’s a day to be celebrated each day of the year; stepping up and taking responsibility for the state of our environment is the first step to change — which is what our world desperately needs.
A recent press release from the World Meteorological Organization shared that the highest temperature in recorded history will happen in the next five years. The temperature has increased due to greenhouse gasses created by unsustainable practices. 9.5 billion metric tons of carbon are released into the atmosphere each year from human activity. The increase in temperature leads to increased forest fires, habitat destruction, and unpredictable seasons that can be devastating for certain species. Because of these issues, it’s estimated that 50% of our plant and animal species may go extinct by 2100.
We can’t wait — the time to save our planet’s BIODIVERSITY is now. Donate with VAKOVAKO today.
