This Saturday, April 22nd, marks the 47th Earth Day and it’s going to be a beautiful day on the east coast to celebrate the planet that we all live on! Unfortunately, this holiday is often overlooked and not taken very seriously. Founded in 1970 after numerous rallies and protests against the destruction of the environment, it’s easy to forget just how important the holiday is, let alone how relevant issues pertaining to environment conversation remain.
And Earth Day 2017 should matter to you now more than ever.
But why you ask?
Well, many people continue to show a great lack of respect towards our Earth . . . including our president.
Donald Trump, among others, is in complete denial of climate change and global warming – something that is both very dangerous and very real. To understand the issue a little bit more, let’s explain just what exactly is going on with global warming. Due to excess greenhouses gasses in the atmosphere, the Earth’s temperature has risen by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century and there are calculated projections telling us that things will only worsen with time.
Evidently, there are serious consequences that come with this temperature increase; oceans are already becoming more acidic and it’s no secret that ice caps are steadily melting. The temperature we have adapted to is continually changing and this is not a good thing. The Environmental Protection Agency warns us that “A warming climate will bring changes that can affect our water supplies, agriculture, power and transportation systems, the natural environment, and even our own health and safety.” Global warming affects everyone and everything.
The EPA is a trusted division of our government, created with the sole purpose of protecting our environment. So then why on Earth (no pun intended) is Donald Trump going to trim the federal budget of the pro-environment agency by 31%? Well, his priorities, unfortunately, lie elsewhere.
But this doesn’t mean yours have to! Mother Earth needs YOU to take action this Earth Day and every day, so why not start with these simple steps?
- Start simply by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Putting the popular alliterative phrase to use can go a long way! The three R’s collectively help to eliminate the waste that we throw away. As this is done, natural resources are conserved and things like landfill space and energy are saved.
- Be active and calculate your carbon footprint to see how you are affecting the environment.
- Implement new ways to diminish your carbon footprint and greenhouse gas accumulation – like carpooling!
- Complete random acts of kindness towards our planet. For example, if you see a piece of trash on the ground, pick it up and throw it away! If you want to get slightly more advanced, try something like planting a tree or two! Recent deforestation statistics from National Geographic are grim – more than 80% of Earth’s natural forests have been destroyed. This is absolutely catastrophic as a lack of carbon-dioxide-consuming trees contributes to the build-up of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere, further advancing the adverse effects of global warming.
These are just a few things you could do to help the environment, so be sure to honor mother Earth by showing her just how much you care this Earth Day.