The planet is healing during this pandemic. Many companies have been forced to shut down their operations. Aerial views of cities and the planet show a huge reduction in pollution and an increase in air quality. Many joke that this pandemic was Mother Nature sending us to our room because we have been behaving badly. There are so many things everyone can be doing differently to help contribute to a cleaner, greener planet.
Today is April 22 which is international Earth Day. Today we stop to think about our planet and how we can be more respectful and considerate to help preserve it for future generations.
Every year, on April 22, EC Montreal has an Earth Day event when we ask our students to jot down their commitments to the environment and place them on our tree in the student lounge.
April 22, 2020 will mark 50 years of Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action. The enormous challenge — but also the vast opportunities — of action on climate change have distinguished the issue as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary.
Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable.
Earth Day was a unified response to an environment in crisis — oil spills, smog, rivers so polluted they literally caught fire.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand a new way forward for our planet.
The first Earth Day is credited with launching the modern environmental movement, and is now recognized as the planet’s largest civic event.
The first Earth Day in 1970 launched a wave of action, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day in 1970, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many countries soon adopted similar laws.
Earth Day continues to hold major international significance: In 2016, the United Nations chose Earth Day as the day when the historic Paris Agreement on climate change was signed into force.
On Earth Day 2020, we seize all the tools and actions that we have, big and small, to change our lives and change our world, not for one day, but forever.
While the corona virus may force us to keep our distance, it will not force us to keep our voices down. The only thing that will change the world is a bold and unified demand for a new way forward.
We may be apart, but through the power of digital media, we’re also more connected than ever.
On April 22, join us for 24 hours of action in a global digital mobilization that drives actions big and small, gives diverse voices a platform and demands bold action for people and the planet.
Over the 24 hours of Earth Day, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day will fill the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins and more.
While Earth Day may be going digital, our goal remains the same: to mobilize the world to take the most meaningful actions to make a difference.
No matter where you are, you can make a difference. And you’re not alone, because together, we can save the Earth.
Visit earthday.org on April 22 as we build an Earth Day unlike any other — We’re flooding the digital landscape with live streamed discussions, a global digital surge, and 24 hours of actions that you can take, right now and from wherever you are.
There are several things you can do at home to help reduce your impact on the environment.
• Eat less beef and pork. Fish (check Seafood Watch from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see what types are OK) and poultry have a much lower impact on the environment, while other protein sources such as nuts and organic soy are even less damaging to the planet.
• Think about packaging before you buy products. Individually-wrapped candy uses resources and generates a lot of trash, while fruits and vegetables are healthier and mean less waste.
• Turn off lights and other electrical devices when you don’t need them. When light bulbs burn out, replace them with energy-efficient bulbs.
• Do not waste water.
• Recycle.
• Drive fuel-efficient cars and do not overheat your house.
• Don’t let your pets go when you don’t want them any more. Feral pets can have a destructive impact on the local environment. Before buying a pet be sure that you are ready to take care of it. Having a pet is a responsibility.
• Think about where the things you buy come from and how they are made. Sometimes it’s better not to buy something new, and buy it used instead. Or skip buying it altogether if it’s not necessary.
And don’t forget, doing something concrete on April 22nd is good, but every day is even better! We are sure many of you in the EC Virtual English and French online classes have had their teachers include topics of International Earth day in their classes.
