Happy Earth Day to you all this Friday, April 22.
Earth Day is the day set aside each year since 1970 to draw attention to the fragility of our planet and to encourage everyone to do his part preserving our earth so future generations can enjoy the beauty and bounty we sometimes take for granted.
The idea of celebrating a national day to focus on the environment came to its founder U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Three million gallons of crude spilled into the waters off Summerland and spread along the coastline, spoiling the pristine beauty of the Pacific beaches. Nelson rallied other lawmakers to take a stand for the environment, and Earth Day was born in 1970.
April 22 was chosen to mark the day because it fell between college spring break and final exams, and that first year thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. 20 million people around the country took to the streets and parks to rally for the environment according to earthday.org. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.
Now, Earth Day is celebrated around the world, and people come together at clean-ups and educational gatherings to show their love for their planet. The Orange County Register, a Los Angeles paper, lists various local projects for Southern Californians to join in, many centered about education in the schools. “Harvesting for Hunger” is a project in Orange County where volunteers are amending soil and assisting students in planting raised vegetable beds. Rain Barrels International will be educating Newport Beach residents with water conservation tips and trips along with recycling and a information fair. Information will be disseminated about drought-tolerant gardening. Activities at Dana Point will include building a butterfly garden along with collecting e-waste, recycling old computers and cellphones. There will be coastal clean-up at the beach and harbor on Saturday with volunteer rewarded by free admission to the Ocean Institute for the day. At Laguna Niguel volunteers will plant, weed, and clean up the Niguel Botanical Preserve Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30. Wherever you live — not just in Southern California — there will be an Earth Day activity of some sort where you can joint with others in doing good for the globe.
The main highlight of this Earth Day 2016 will be the signing of the historic Paris Agreement of the Climate Protection Treaty. It was adopted by195 nations at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change in Paris. The United States and China, who are the world’s two largest emitters, will both sign the agreement along with over 120 other countries. The treaty is a binding and universal agreement calling for action against climate change, with focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by the year 2050.
What can you personally do on this Earth day? Many will plant trees. An estimated 18 million acres of forest — an area roughly the size of the country of Panama — are lost to deforestation each year. That loss is responsible for up to 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. You can vow to do all you can to promote the protection of endangered species and to stop habitat encroachment for whales, Asian elephants, rhinoceroses, and other species. You can do your part supporting politicians who are dedicated to ensuring that our cities remain clean and green. You can use more energy efficient products and use more renewable energy. You can educate your children about the importance of preserving this wonderful world we live in. Global warming is not a joke. Climate change is real. We must all live as if every day is earth day -- because it is.
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