Earth Day is nationally celebrated on April 22 to acknowledge the importance of our planet Earth. The first Earth Day was organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, who inspired 20 million Americans to demonstrate against the impacts of industrial development. This year’s theme for Earth Day is: Our Planet, Our Power.
Why Is Earth Day Important?
Earth Day is a reminder that all of us play a role in keeping our planet healthy. Earth Day allows there to be more awareness around harmful man made acts that negatively impact the Earth. Some examples of our negative actions include the following:
- Burning fossil fuels
- Climate change
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Infrastructure
- Overpopulation
The State of Earth Right Now
New evaluations have shown that as of Jan. 1, 2025, there are major environmental problems on our planet. Increased emissions of greenhouse gases have caused an insane increase in our temperature globally. An example of this would be the California, Australian and South Korean Wildfires.
“It makes me really sad seeing the animals being affected by climate change. There are so many things that humans are doing that are just so unnecessary,” senior Jayla McGrath said.
How to better our planet
To keep the planet clean, here are habits to consider starting:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Volunteer for cleanups
- Conserve water
- Plant trees
- Drive less
- Stop smoking cigarettes/vaping
“We need to do better as humans. I’m starting to plant more around my house and recycle better,” senior Nisa Eskici said.
