Celebrating Earth Day
M Ahmad,
Earth Day, April 22, is an annual celebration, to honour the achievements of the environmental movement and raising awareness of the importance of long-term ecological sustainability.
The day inspires to act towards the protection of the environment and focus on the need for conservation. Earth Day is recognised as the largest civic event in the world. It demands immediate action to be taken to tackle industrial pollution, oil spills, toxic waste disposal and others.
Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet – and its people. Mother Earth is clearly urging a call on us “Nature is suffering”. Oceans filling with plastic and turning more acidic, extreme heat, wildfires and floods, as well as a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season, have affected millions of people.
Climate change, man-made changes to nature such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade have damaged our ecosystem. Restoring our damaged ecosystems will help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction and accordingly our mother earth shall remain prevented.
Here, we face COVID-19, a worldwide health pandemic link to the health of our ecosystem. April 22, 2021, marks the 51 anniversary of Earth Day, but many utilities have gone silent on the topic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But we don’t have to choose between the fight against the virus and the climate crisis, and utilities have the platform to create change for both. Now is the time to make or increase environmental commitments, promote the value of energy efficiency, and offer energy upgrades to businesses while their doors are closed.
Despite widespread social-distancing and indoor orders, Earth Day 2021shouldgo virtual. Here are some creative ways to bring Earth Day celebrations into homes during the coronavirus pandemic:
1. Plant a tree
2. Conserve water
3. Clean up plastic in and around your house
4. Use recycled items
5. Make an art on Earth Day
6. Speak up on topics on earth day
Let’s remind more than ever on this International Mother Earth Day that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Let’s promote harmony with nature and the Earth by joining the global movement to restore our Earth!
We truly do have the power to build a future in which nature and people can thrive together.
Mahatma Gandhi said “nature has enough resources to fulfill the needs of the human being but it can’t fulfill the greed of the humans”.
(The author is Principal (I/C) Abhedananda Home, Higher Secondary Institution for Specially-abled Children, Solina, Srinagar)
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