On the 22nd April, over one billion of the earth’s population celebrated Earth Day. It commenced 47 years earlier by organizer Denis Hayes in 1970. It now is commemorated in 192 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network. The aim is to remind the humanity to think about its planet and work in such a way that ecosystem is preserved and not damaged.
Right from its inception TVs channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, and the press like The New York times, Time, Newsweek, and the New York City Mayor Lindsay cooperated well to make this event a grand success. Manhatten is the center of the activity in New York; all the action took place there. Philadelphia got involved at that time with famous, eminent persons like the consumer protection activist and the presidential candidate Ralph Nader, Noble laureate Biochemist George Wald, U.S Senator Edmond Muskie, Landscape Architect Ian McHarg, Biochemist George Wald, U.S Senate minority leader Hugh Scott and poet Allen Ginsberg.
This snap has in the backdrop of the assembly hall of Colorado from where the people gave a message to save the earth’s ecosystem through bicycle journey. The details of the message is as underneath of the snap.
Photo source: mindfood.com
- Earth Day’ 2016: America and China along with 120 nations signed the historic Paris Agreement. With the primary aim of achieving the limiting of carbon dioxide emission.
- Nowadays 193 nations have got together to celebrate EarthDay by planting trees to make a green revolution. All efforts aim to make better green environment on the earth.
- The theme of 2017 is aimed at Environmental and climate literacy, and encourage and include the children who are the brains of the future, and that they should be able to do better work in the future. By the year 2020 Earth day will complete 50 years, and preparations are underway for its celebration.
Objects of the Earth day:
- 1) To prepare own food oneself.
- 2) Buy the local food requisition
- 3) To use the least amount of Paper for documentation and switch over to digitization.
- 4) Sowing Plants
- 5) To stop consumption of the bottled water.
- 6) Encourage the car pooling or adopt cycling as the means of transportation.
- 7) To use solar energy through battery
In 1969 in Santa Barbara in California, Senator Gaylord Nelson proclaimed for celebrating every year Earth Day. His efforts around the world are as the gift to all.
It is appropriate to give a picture of remarkable achievements and also the downward trends when talking about the Earth day. Center for Biodiversity and Conservation provided the statistics. American Museum of Natural History on Google has the following to say as to how has the world changed since the first Earth Day in 1970?
In the US after the clean air act signed in 1970 and since then:
Our world has changed for better since Earth Day 1970.
- Key pollutants decreased by -71% even as the energy consumption up by + 44%
- Driven miles increased by 184% and economy growth by 246%
- New cars, busses, and trucks a now 99% cleaner
- Unleaded gasoline means less lead in Children’s blood by -90%.
- In 1972 the US banned DDT
- Bald Eagle returned from the brink. 1974 – 2006
- In 1987 CFC banned, ozone depletion down by 98% and the ozone layer has stabilized and begun to recover preventing 2 million skin cancer per year
- In 2015 – 197 Countries agreed to reduce CO2 emission – expected in 2015 – in 2100 nil.
Adverse Changes since Earth Day 1970:
- Carbon dioxide emissions increased by 2.4 times.In 1970 – 14.9 1n 2015 – 36.0 million tons (mil.t)
- Rise in Global temperature 0.97 degrees
- Sea ice melted 13.3 % per decade – declined from 7.2 m/t to 4.7 mil .t in 2016
- Sea level has risen by 10.8 cms
- More cropland using more fresh water +80 % area of irrigated land.
- Wildland animal population has shrunk by 38 %
- Marine animal decreased: 36%
- Freshwater animal consumption increased by – 81%
- Over 170 animal species declared extinct. Like Newzealand’s Bush Wren, Saudi Gazelle, Golden Toad.
Here is a Video link is provided giving details of plus and minus of humankind’s achievements for making the earth as it is now.
