at the Barry University’s Earth Day Celebration. — Carl Juste/Miami Herald/MCT
The greatest day of the year is coming fast. Earth Day is Monday, April 22nd! Not only is Earth Day on Monday, but Arbor Day is only a few days later on the 26th.
At this point, everyone has heard that there is an end date in sight for the planet if we keep on the track we are on. We have created irreversible damage to the planet, and unless we take drastic steps in the opposite direction, the Earth is going burn up in the next 50 years.
This news isn’t new though, and for more than fifty years, people have been arguing on behalf of the planet’s health and longevity. In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” gained national attention for exposing the dangers of pesticide use and sparked conversation and protests about damaging chemicals.
In 1969, the Cuyahoga River literally caught fire because of all of the chemicals in the river. This paved way for Senator Gaylord Nelson to propose Earth Day as a national holiday. Earth Day began in 1970 as an effort to educate people about environmental issues, specifically on college campuses as ‘teach-ins.’ These teach-ins, inspired by the teachins during the Vietnam War, were informal lectures and discussions about environmental issues and the newly born holiday.
Comparative surveys done by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed that general interest in environmental protection rose 2,500% in the years directly before and after Earth Day was first implemented.
Earth Day continues to bring awareness to environmental issues, and that is why it’s such an important holiday. Earth Day is an important reminder to everyone that we only have one planet and we need to treat it with love and respect. Since 1970, Earth Day has spread to become a global holiday celebrated in more than 170 countries. Every year, there are events and marches on Earth Day and throughout the entire week.
Earth Week rounds out with Arbor Day, which is celebrated on different days in different places, but in the US is April 26th in 2019. Arbor Day is to specifically celebrate our trees and encourages everyone to plant a tree.
I have written and talked a lot about Earth, but it is 1,000% the hill I will die on, because it is the planet I will die on, and I want to leave it happier than when I was born to it.
So, in the spirit of Earth Week, I want to provide ways to participate and keep the planet healthy.
Use Ecosia as an extension on your browser. Ecosia uses 80% of its profits to plant trees, so simply searching helps to create more oxygen.
Plant a tree or flowers in your yard, or donate money to a local garden.
Find a community clean up near you and help pick up litter, do landscaping, and help with upkeep of the area. Even if you can’t make it to a community clean up, find an area near you that you’ve noticed a lot of litter and take a few hours to clean it up.
Join local groups and organizations that inform you of events and ways to get involved. The Green Movement is an RSO at SXU that sends weekly challenges and is holding a succulent sale on Earth Day.
Minimize your waste by carrying around reusable items, donate and recycle used items, buy eco- friendly products, and remember to refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Save energy by turning off lights, opening windows instead of using AC and overhead lights, and air drying your clothes.
Save water by taking shorter showers or using a cup of water when you’re brushing your teeth.
Overall, there are so so many things everyone can do in our everyday life to be better to the world. But what I think the most important thing is to be educated on the issues.
Vote for people who are anti-fracking, pro renewable energy, and anti-corporations. Use your voice to stand against climate change. Don’t put your money towards businesses who pollute, instead support local businesses and eco friendly products.
The Earth is the one thing we all have in common and it’s end is literally in our future if we don’t do something drastic soon.
Emma Farina
Opinions Columnist