Kaitlyn Maxwell Feature Story 4/12/2012 Dr.
Deblasio
Our Earth deserves more than just one day!
April 22nd 2012 marks the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, a day in which over 175 countries in the world reflect and hold events that hope to increase awareness about the worlds dwindling natural resources. April 22nd, 1970 marked the first earth day celebration.
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History
The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Nelson saw the powerful effects the student anti-war movement made surrounded the Vietnam War in the 1970s, and came to the conclusion that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda.
The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity thats all there is. Thats the whole economy. Thats where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.
-- Gaylord Nelson
On that day millions of Americans came together from groups that were fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife. Suddenly they realized they shared common values and for at least one day, they could share a voice and really make a difference in the politics.
Impact
Earth day brings together republicans, democrats, poor, rich, gay, straight in order to pull for one issue; our earth. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Each year, EDN provides new campaigns and events for people around the world to participate in on April 22nd. They also provide the public with information in order to increase awareness about the natural resources that are affected and how we are harming (or helping) the environment. Its no wonder that there has been serious damage to the earth and that our natural resources are beginning to run low. The average commute to work for people is 25.3 minutes, and $715 million dollars a year is spent on disposing of our waste. In 2010, 88 percent of newly built single-family homes across the country were built with airconditioning. In 1974, it was 48 percent. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, we have continuously damaged the earth with our lifestyles. And what is the impact? Fifteen hurricanes hit Florida's Monroe County from 1960 to 2008, the most in the country. The 2010 population of 73,090 was down 8.2 percent from 2000, thanks to these national disasters. The raise in the earths temperature impacts natural disasters. There is no doubt in my mind that his raise in temperatures is due to our lifestyles. Our reliance on our cars, our air-conditioning and our 20- minute showers will slowly but surely cause more and more natural disasters. I took a footprint calculator test on the Earth Day Networks website. I highly encourage you to take this interactive (and child friendly) quiz. I learned that if everyone lived like me, we would need 5.3 planet earths to provide enough resources and to support me it takes 23.5 acres of land. It then gave me the following things I could personally do in order to reduce my carbon footprint: Eating less animal-based food products Using more locally grown food products or products that use recycled materials Dont take my yearly vacation via airplane
These are not huge life altering changes, but at least this quiz and information left me with the knowledge of how my lifestyle is affecting the earth, and that there are little things that I can do to help change the damage I am doing. That is the true idea behind earth day. Making people stop what they are doing and think about their impact and hopefully with that information, they vow to make a small change. If everybody can make a small change, a much larger change will result.
Earth Day 2012
The campaign for Earth Day 2012 is Mobilize the Earth The theme surrounds the notion that the earth wont wait. The world is facing a global recession and oftenenvironmental issues are put on the back burner. Earth Day provides a chance for people of different nationalities, countries, and backgrounds to unite in order to provide a sustainable future. One voice and one message will come from April 22nd 2012; the world cannot wait, so we need to mobilize in order to make a difference. Earth Day on the National Mall in Washington DC will be the centerpiece of Earth Day in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of environmentally conscious people from all walks of life and all parts of the country will be joined by civic leaders and celebrities for this special event to galvanize the environmental movement.
Video for Earth Day 2012: Mobilize the Earth
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So why April 22nd?
The story is that April 22 was chosen because college students would be likely to be available. It falls between spring break and final exams. Which would go along with Gaylord Nelsons idea that environmental progress could occur with student voices, as it did with the Vietnam protests. Today in 2012, the student voices and events are still the backbone to Earth Day. Universities and education groups are pushing for an Earth Week, vs. only an Earth Day. One event is not enough, one day isnt enough, and so now
a weeklong celebration on college campuses has become the norm. College campuses come up with innovative programs and ideas to celebrate. See this video of Western Kentucky Universities 2011 festivities: Western KY University. These students made a remix to the song Friday and incorporated things that we could do to become more earth conscious: Earth Day song. The following is what the schools in the Kentucky/Cincinnati area have planned: NKU: At NKU they are celebrating Mother Earth April 16-20 ECOS (Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students) has informational events planned a long with the planting of trees, listen to music and learning what you can do to reduce your own and NKUs carbon footprint. UC: The University of Cincinnati sponsors a clothing swap, a lecture and film series of environmental topics, and a workshop series where one can learn how to grow vegetables in a container at your home, and is even taking a tour of the Rumpke facilities. Xavier: At Xavier one can rent a bike to go to classes for $10, attend a session with a locavore speaker (one who commits to eating food grown or produced locally), and participate in a Recyclemania competition. UK: University of Kentucky hosts Car free day and Party for the Planet to allow the campus to promote sustainability, responsible global citizenship and the power of local action. UL: The University of Louisville will host a sustainability fair and a Park Clean up this year among other Earth Day events. We should pay attention to how college campuses celebrate Earth Week and borrow some of their innovative events and energetic spirit for preserving the Earth. If organizations celebrated Earth Week, it can create a more cohesive working environment and provide a cause that anyone can participate in. Coming together to make a difference benefits a campus community and can do the same for other groups and organizations.
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.
Native American Proverb
The earth cannot wait, so whatever it is you celebrate, Earth Day or Week, I hope you take the time to mobilize in order to preserve the Earth for those who come after us.
