“AS THE WORLD RETURNS TO NORMAL, WE CAN’T GO BACK TO BUSINESS-AS-USUAL”
Thursday 22nd April marks World Earth Day. A day to reflect and review what we are doing as individuals and organisations to best protect and repair our planet.
Founded in 1970, Earth Day gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet. As the climate crisis becomes increasingly more serious, each Earth Day becomes even more significant.
Recent figures have shown that “Global CO2 emissions are now back at above pre-pandemic levels” despite social media suggesting nature was healing as a result of countries going into lockdown. As the world begins to slowly return to normal, we cannot go back to business-as-usual. Emissions need to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030, it is time to make the reality of the challenge we’re facing clear.
What is Earth Day 2021?
This year’s theme for Earth Day is Restore Our Earth which focuses on ‘natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems’. The theme highlights that we as individuals need to be accountable for restoring the Earth. Not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. We all need a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health and happiness. A happy planet is not an option, it is a necessity.
The first Earth Day. Lambert / Getty Images.
Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue on the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970. Bettmann—Getty Images.
What can you do?
There are so many small steps we can all take to contribute towards protecting and restoring our planet. We have outlined some of the key campaigns and strategies Earth Day have been driving forward in order to make significant progress since 1970.
Plant Trees
One of the key campaigns as part of Restore Our Earth is The Canopy Project which aims to plant trees across the globe. Since 2010, EARTHDAY.ORG™ has planted tens of millions of trees with The Canopy Project.
Firstly, why is planting trees so important? Planting trees is one of the largest and cheapest ways of taking CO2 out of the atmosphere. Forests can not only act as ‘carbon sinks’ but also provide essential habitats for animals and ‘ecological services for humans’ such as ‘purifying the air we breathe and regulating local temperatures.’
This year Cameo has decided to support the National Trust’s mission to plant 20 million trees by 2030. Planting new trees will contribute to reducing emissions in the UK and open up new habitats for wildlife such as the red squirrel, the hazel dormouse, the greater spotted woodpecker and other birds like the red kite.
It’s so quick and easy to support and we have provided a link below that will take you straight to the National Trust website should you wish to donate yourself, click here.
Looking up at a canopy of fir trees at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk. National Trust Images, Chris Lacey.
The Great Global Cleanup
Cleaning up our public spaces is a way for us as individuals to really do our part to restore our planet. Cleanups not only reduce waste and plastic pollution but they improve habitats and protect wildlife and humans.
“Our pollution problem is getting out of hand and our environment is suffering from it. Open landfills emit dangerous greenhouse gasses, waste and pollution that enter our oceans and freshwater. Microplastics even make it into our food and the air we breathe.” EARTHDAY.ORG™
The Great Global Cleanup is a tangible way for us as individuals to make a real difference when it comes to pollution. Witnessing the devastating effects of waste on our public spaces will allow us as individuals to become advocates for speaking out about littering and waste.
Beech Trees. National Trust Images, Robert Morris.
There are so many other small changes we can make in our day-to-day lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint. Whether we choose to make more sustainable purchases, drive less and cycle more or eat less animal products. We can unsubscribe to catalogs and reduce single use plastic, by using a refillable water bottle and having a bag for life. There are so many ways we as the consumer can make a difference!
You can donate to environmental charities such as National Trust, Greenpeace and 350.org.
For more information on Restore Our Planet this Earth Day check out their website here. Where you can read more on the different campaigns and movements that are happening right now.
References
https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/earth-day