Tomorrow, April 22, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! And what a difference 50 years makes — namely, this year brings the first all-digital Earth Day. Social distancing is a must during the coronavirus pandemic, but environmental issues need addressing now more than ever.
It doesn’t seem possible that it’s been 50 years since the first Earth Day in 1970. Every year since then, people have marked Earth Day with protests and other events highlighting environmental issues. Topics have ranged from smog to acid rain to recycling. This year, the first all-digital Earth Day will focus on climate change and will include a variety of activities:
- Citizen Science
- Advocacy and Volunteering
- Arts and Education
- And much more!
Since human activity has dramatically decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all seen the images of stunning improvements in environmental quality. People in India can see the Himalayas for the first time in decades. The smog over Los Angeles is dissipating, and marine life can be seen in the clearing waters of the Venice canals.
If these improvements have happened unintentionally in a matter of weeks, what could intentional, sustained effort could accomplish? What if we were faithful to our call to “take care of the garden?”
The current pandemic has brought fear and suffering. But it has also given us opportunities to act with compassion and concern for our neighbors. The young activist Greta Thunberg said it well, when commenting on the healing of the earth during the coronavirus pandemic:
“The coronavirus is a terrible event…But it also shows one thing: That once we are in a crisis, we can act to do something quickly, act fast. Though it must be in a different way to how we have acted in this case, we can act fast and change our habits and treat a crisis like a crisis."
You can be part of the 50th anniversary by visiting Earth Day Live. We may be miles apart this year, but we can still join together to help the planet heal!
No comments:
Post a Comment