JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Every April 22, millions of people around the globe come together to promote awareness and appreciation for the world. It’s Earth Day. The first Earth Day was observed on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring. Originally, the day was set aside to honor planet Earth and the concept of peace.
The theme for Earth Day 2021 is “Restore Our Earth.” It focuses on natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems.
Over the past year, the pandemic turned back time and showcased a healthier Earth from years gone by, according to Kathleen Rogers, president of EarthDay.org.
“It really shows how fragile our planet is,” she said.
Rogers explained that the environmental movement was inspired partly by the pollution that everyone was experiencing after 150 years of industrial development.
“The pandemic resulted in some of the clearest skies in 50-60 years in major cities around the world,” said Rogers. “(That’s) including Delhi where people were staring up at the sky looking at blue for the first time in decades and understanding that they have been living in extraordinary pollution.”
Every Earth Day people around the world gather to take part in cleanups in area parks and beaches and an event called the “Great Global Cleanup.”
“Cleanups have always been in the DNA,” Rogers said. “It’s something that people naturally do.”
Rogers said there are 1 billion people around the world who take part in Earth Day events.
“90%, I would say, of the 1 billion that participate in Earth Day are doing something along the lines of a cleanup or tree planting,” said Rogers. “I think once you have an organizing idea with a great name that people tend to gravitate toward it.”
For more information about the “Great Global Cleanup,” go to www.earthday.org.