Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, Earth Day Network has been working hard to mobilize the environmental movement. Every year since then, the movement has grown and today more than one billion people will be honoring Earth Day 2013 in some way. Across the globe, it’s a day dedicated to acknowledging the amazing planet we call home and take action to protect it. But it doesn’t stop today.
For us, every day is Earth Day, whether it’s growing our own herbs and vegetables, supporting our local farmers markets, taking a bike or walking instead of getting in the car for a short commute, carpooling whenever possible, and shopping with socially and environmentally-conscious companies. We know travel leaves its environmental mark, so we do what we can!
When Earth Day began, it was the height of hippie and flower-child culture in the United States — 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Protests were commonplace. War raged in Vietnam, and students nationwide made their voices heard. Massive V8 sedans were powerhouses and gas guzzlers. Industry spewed out smoke and sludge with abandon. Air pollution was dismissed as the smell of prosperity. And “environment” was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.
The publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962 was a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries and, up until that moment, more than any other person, Ms. Carson raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health.
The first Earth Day in 1970 capitalized on the emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center. It led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. But there’s still a long, long way to go! And with recent news about the dire conditions of the polar ice caps, among other reports that clearly show climate change is in a precarious place, the time to get involved and act is now!
Be the Face of Climate Change — today and every day.
Each year, Earth Day Network (EDN) chooses a theme for Earth Day, and this year honoring Earth Day 2013 is about ‘The Face of Climate Change.’ Climate change may seem like a remote problem to some, but it is impacting real people, animals, and places around the world. Fortunately, a different Face of Climate Change is growing, too: people are stepping up to do something about it. For Earth Day 2013, those stories are being shared. The interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of Earth Day events around the world. Submitting photos is a great way for kids to be involved in a global Earth Day event, and show the world that they are invested in the future of their planet; they have a stake in this challenge too.
Climate change has many faces.
A man in the Maldives worried about relocating his family as sea levels rise, a farmer in Kansas struggling to make ends meet as prolonged drought ravages the crops, a fisherman on the Niger River whose nets often come up empty, a child in New Jersey who lost her home to a super-storm, a woman in Bangladesh who can’t get fresh water due to more frequent flooding and cyclones…
And they’re not only human faces.
They’re the polar bear in the melting arctic, the tiger in India’s threatened mangrove forests, the right whale in plankton-poor parts of the warming North Atlantic, the orangutan in Indonesian forests segmented by more frequent bushfires and droughts…
These faces of climate change are multiplying every day.
[quote]Every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change: the entrepreneurs who see opportunity in creating the new green economy, the activists who organize community action and awareness campaigns, the engineers who design the clean technology of the future, the public servants who fight for climate change laws and for mitigation efforts, the ordinary people who commit to living sustainably…[/quote]
Take Action!
The 10 Easiest Ways to Green Your Home
How to Ensure Your Summer Vacation is Environmentally Friendly
Have more of an impact by leaving less of a footprint on the Earth.
This may sound like a no brainer, but seek out companies, farm, and designers who are socially and environmentally conscious. The way you shop can change the world and every little bit helps! One company we support that is leading the way is this regard is Toms Shoes.
With their sustainability and One for One giving programs, each shoe or eye wear purchase is one you can feel great about. With partnerships in 50 countries, Toms is providing help and support to children in need around the world. Learn more about it here.
[quote]Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair. – Kahlil Gibran [/quote]
How are you honoring Earth Day 2013?
Comment below and tweet/facebook us photos!
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