A range of artistic projects, initiatives in the making and seminars are on the world map for Earth Day. The movement spread to the global scene in 1990 and this time the event is focused on networking and personal contribution.
Even if it wasn’t ready for the coronavirus pandemic, humanity must be prepared for the climate crisis, organizers pointed out as the final preparations are made for tomorrow’s Earth Day. This time, veteran environmentalists, new generations of activists and all those who are concerned about the future will gather on April 22 only via online platforms. Also, they will concentrate on what they can contribute as individuals, in their direct surroundings.
Both the spread of the COVID-19 disease and climate change are disastrous in scale, according to the announcements. They have been released alongside suggestions for marking half a century since the first Earth Day. Social distance doesn’t stop us from raising our voices, connected better than ever with digital networks, and from confronting global warming, the calls read.
One simple way to protect the environment is to switch to green energy.
Let's acknowledge the power of renewable energy across the world. https://t.co/Xb6AD6SrvN
— EARTHDAY.ORG (@EarthDay) April 21, 2020
This year’s even is planned in 24 segments, one appeal per hour. World famous environmentalists are addressing the crowd on the central webpage. One of the personalities is the National Geographic’s Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist nicknamed Her Deepness. Among others on the list are American actor Zac Efron, eight-year-old Indian activist Licypriya Kangujam and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Christiana Figueres.
Pick from programs on world map
The global digital landscape will at the same time be flooded with discussions, emerging initiatives, performances, seminars and other scattered actions, and they are all on a map prepared for Earth Day.
NASA, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was joined by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and other organizations and provided material with a special focus on the youngest viewers. It ranges from geology to quizzes to live observations of the Earth. The program is advertised as #EarthDayAtHome.
Activities according to users’ affinity
If you would like to participate, you can register air quality in your area with the EC2020 application. Join the array of presentations or an artistic project, listen to a lecture and then watch a movie being streamed.
Plogging is picking garbage during recreational activity such as walking, running and roller skating
The features of one of the most massive annual cycles can, at choice, involve the collection of waste for recycling, planting trees and raising awareness on the harm done by pesticides. The organizers said everyone can help by addressing faith leaders and political representatives and by preparing plant-based meals. They underscored that we can confront climate change with a diet change.
Plogging has lately become more and more popular. Swedes combined picking up, plocka in their language, and jogging, or just about any recreational movement through space – like mountain hiking and roller skating. So they simultaneously exercise and collect garbage.
Half of century of Earth Day
“Despite that amazing success and decades of environmental progress, we find ourselves facing an even more dire, almost existential, set of global environmental challenges, from loss of biodiversity to climate change to plastic pollution, that call for action at all levels of government,” Denis Hayes said. He initiated the marking of the first Earth Day in 1970 and now he is Earth Day Network’s Board Chair Emeritus.
Hayes: Environmental challenges have turned more dire, almost existential
The history section credits Rachel Carson and her New York Times bestseller Silent Spring from 1962. Gaylord Nelson, Junior Senator from Wisconsin, and House Representative Pete McCloskey are responsible for the first rallies half a century ago together with Hayes. They picked April 22 so that they would lure students between the spring break and the final exams and set the stage for events on campuses.
Eventually, 20 million Americans or 10% of the population came out on the streets and pushed for the passing of laws on clean air and water and endangered species. The movement spread to the global level in 1990, when 200 million people from 141 countries participated, according to data the organization has.
UN picked Earth Day for the signing of the Paris climate accord in 2016. The signatory countries are supposed to publish more ambitious plans this year for the mitigation of global warming and its consequences.
“Progress has slowed, climate change impacts grow, and our adversaries have become better financed,” said Earth Day Network president Kathleen Rogers.
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