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Every year Earth Day is celebrated on the same day — April 22. With the COVID-19 pandemic still gripping the world, it is a bit difficult to follow traditional celebrations. The year 2021 marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day.
The theme for the holiday this year is “Restore Our Earth.” Normally people celebrate the holiday with various clean-up events. Due to the pandemic, Earth Day celebrations have gone digital.
San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson independently asked Americans to join them in a grassroots demonstration. On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day celebration was held.
The first-of-its-kind demonstration focused on dangerously serious issues concerning air pollution, toxic drinking water, and the effects of pesticides. Now every year people celebrate this demonstration around the world. Around 10 percent of the United States population — 20 million people — ventured outside to protest together.
Pre-COVID-19 people would gather together to clean up parks, beaches, and trail ways. Cleaning up the planet will help preserve the Earth for future generations. It also helps with stopping reprehensible climate changes, like changing weather patterns and melting ice caps.
Some groups would celebrate Earth Day by planting saplings — baby trees — and flowers. Others will go around their community fixing and cleaning. To celebrate Earth Day all one needs to do is respect and appreciate the natural world.
This can be done by adding flowers and plants to one’s garden that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Bees — the super-pollinators — and butterflies help spread pollen from plants. This helps create natural food and habitats for many of the planet’s critters.
A person can also help clean up the planet by recycling and using Earth-friendly cleaning products, chemicals, and pesticides. Using biodegradable materials helps keep the pollution factor down to a minimum. This helps keep the soil, waterways, and air cleaner for people and animals alike.
Working together people can preserve — and possibly restore — the planet. Cutting down on harmful chemicals, pollutants, and products could stop animals and insects from becoming extinct.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Source:
Farmer’s Almanac: EARTH DAY 2021
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of yopi priyatna’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of anoldent’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License