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Earth Day has been at the forefront of bringing attention to and action on vital environmental concerns for 55 years. But before we delve into the themes and actions for Earth Day 2025, let’s understand the history of this important day!
History of Earth Day
Let's go back in time to when the contemporary environmental movement began It all started on April 22, 1970, when Senator Gaylord Nelson and activist Denis Hayes sponsored the inaugural gathering. They successfully mobilised 20 million people nationwide to oppose air pollution, oil spills, and biodiversity losses. This historic event paved the way for the establishment of the EPA and other crucial pieces of legislation, such as the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act.
No matter when April 22 falls in the year, people always commemorate it on that day. This steadfast dedication allows individuals all across the globe to organise their schedules with plenty of time to spare. Earth Day 2025 is a global day when everyone can come together to honour our shared duty to keep the earth habitable.
What’s special about 22nd April?
Senator Nelson and his staff deliberately chose this day to rally the young and harness the momentum of the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. The event was strategically scheduled between spring break and final exams to encourage maximum student involvement and bring the youthful energy and enthusiasm of the environmental movement.
We anticipate that over one billion people from 192 nations will celebrate Earth Day 2025, marking the event's 55th anniversary. This indicates that the commitment of the diverse Earth Day movement to uniting people for a brighter future is just as strong now as it was in 1970. The essence of Earth Day has always been the power of the people, and this strength has the potential to bring about revolutionary change. When people come together for a shared goal, they can conquer long-standing institutions and industries! On this Earth Day 2025, let us pledge to use renewable energy sources to create a future that is good for everyone: one that is healthy, sustainable, egalitarian, and rich.
'Power, People and Planet'- Earth Day 2025 theme
Let us breakdown the Earth Day 2025 theme-
- Power: Maximise the use of our planet's plentiful renewable energy sources by tripling their output by 2030. The list includes solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and tidal power.
- People: Drive economic growth, create employment, encourage equity, and improve the health of billions of people by empowering global communities with clean, cheap renewable energy.
- Planet: We can stop climate change, save ecosystems and biodiversity, and our reliance on fossil fuels if we quickly implement renewable energy systems.
Get involved! Here’s how you can celebrate Earth Day-
Reducing plastic use: By participating in cleanups, you may strengthen your connection to the Earth. Accumulate every plastic you come across while strolling around with a garbage bag. Maybe you're familiar with a trash-filled drainage area or ditch close by! Make sure you replace homeware and dishes with glass and ceramic, and instead of throwing out your plastic cutlery, make good use of it by repurposing it!
- Spread awareness: Get the facts, get the word out, and motivate people to take action whether you're a person, a teacher, a student, or a religious leader.
- Get involved: Participate in or organise a teach-in, hold a town hall meeting, or rally on campus or in your neighbourhood.
- Plant more trees: Our trees are wonderful. Carbon is captured, locations that are too hot are cooled, pollinators are supported, the danger of disease transmission is reduced, and local economies are boosted. We bet you didn't know that a single oak tree attracts more wildlife than a whole yard's worth of plants. Planting trees and native garden beds in public locations is something you should discuss with your local authorities. You could even plant some on your own land!
- Charity begins at home: Eliminating paper seed or plant catalogues is another step you can take to help the environment. If you receive any unsolicited catalogues in the mail—especially the large ones!—you may ask the firm to remove your name from their mailing list.
- Plant native plants and wildflowers: Not only are native and wildflower species aesthetically pleasing, but they also draw in helpful insects that aid in pest management and pollination, leading to larger blooms and more fruitful harvests. Adding a few native plants to your garden annually can significantly improve its appearance and attract birds and pollinators.
- Conserve water: Our water usage is excessive. Overwatering plants is bad for their health, therefore, it's important to know how much water your garden actually requires. To keep fungal diseases at bay, never irrigate plants or vegetables from above in the garden.Educate yourself about the benefits of rainwater harvesting and enquire with your local municipality about water conservation measures near you!