You throw a party, and it has everything —good food, music, entertainment... the works. Eventually, the party comes to an end. And then, it dawns on you that you are alone.... you, and the detritus — plates, streamers, plastic wrappers... It’s your job to clean up — by yourself.
Now imagine how it is, in a much bigger home, called Earth — it’s a party every day, yet no one cleans up after themselves. And the big home is left cluttered and dirty, for years on end, nay, centuries even, and the clutter only seems to pile on, year by year.
Headstart
How then, can we de-clutter this big home of ours called Earth? Well, a good way to start is April 22.
In 1969, at a UNESCO Conference, John McConnell, a peace activist, proposed a day to honour Earth. March 21, 1970, was the proposed day — it was the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. While the April 22 Earth Day was focused on the U.S., environmental advocate Denis Hayes’ Earth Day Network made it international.
This year’s theme is “Protect our species”. Some of the best gifts that nature has bestowed on us are the millions of species of animals, birds, insects, and more. Unfortunately, we have irrevocably upset the balance of nature and, as a result, the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction since we lost the dinosaurs, over 60 million years ago. And what makes it worse, this time around, is that humans are solely responsible for the loss.
The unprecedented global destruction and declining plant and wildlife populations are directly linked to causes driven by human activity — climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution... the list goes on.
Be the change
This year, Earth Day Network is reaching out to people across the globe, asking them to be a part of its “Protect our Species” campaign. They hope to educate and raise awareness about the rising rate of extinction of millions of species, the causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
They also hope to bring about policies that will protect animals and habitats.
Finally, the Network aims to build and activate a global movement that embraces nature and its values, encourages individual actions such as adopting plant-based diets and putting a stop to the use of pesticides and herbicides.
Here are some ways you can help:
- After your car has been washed, use the water for the plants.
- Keep bowls of fresh water on your balcony or window sill and in your garden for birds to drink from.
Cute Oriental White Eye Zosteropiade palpebrosus birds bathe in a small pot.
- When you visit green areas near your home – forests or parks - collect the fallen seeds and plant them once the monsoon begins. Even one small seed can grow into a tree one day and help purify the air.
- Avoid using plastic straws while drinking juice and do not use balloons for celebrating. These small items find their way into our oceans and ultimately into the stomachs of marine creatures like dolphins, whales and turtles.
Fish say no to plastic cartoon vector illustration doodle style
— Katie Bagli
