Earth Day is a global movement that started 48 years ago when millions of protestors took to the streets to bring to light the negative effects of the industrial revolution.
Earth Day 2018 is focused on plastic pollution, with many restaurants and bars in the Mother City pledging to go plastic free in solidarity.
President of Earth.org, Kathleen Rogers best sums it up: “In the US and around the world, smog was becoming deadly and evidence was growing that pollution led to developmental delays in children. Biodiversity was in decline as a result of the heavy use of pesticides and other pollutants.
“Now a global event each year, we believe that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.
“It is a day of political action and civic participation. People march, sign petitions, meet with their elected officials, plant trees, clean up their towns and roads. Corporations and governments use it to make pledges and announce sustainability measures. Faith leaders, including Pope Francis, connect Earth Day with protecting God’s greatest creations, humans, biodiversity and the planet that we all live on,” she said.
In shocking footage released by BBC almost a year ago, it shows the world’s most polluted island, Henderson Island, located about halfway between Chile and New Zealand.
In 2017 the island had the highest density of plastic rubbish on its shores of any place in the world. This highlights the need to rid the world of plastic.
Watch the video below to see how polluted the island is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCReet5oyA
At home you can start by being more eco-friendly:
1. Don’t use straws anymore
2. Start a compost pile or bin
3. Cut down the amount of electricity and water you consume daily
4. Use less paper and recycle more
5. Change your lightbulbs to energy-efficient ones
Here’s how the world celebrated Earth Day:
WE MUST PROTECT OUR OCEANS! Oceans cover 71% of the globe, and they are home to most of the life on our planet. #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/eCL9m5aUZW
— Oceana (@Oceana) April 22, 2018
Specialist photographer Caroline Power highlights the damage of plastic waste in the world’s oceans in the hope industries/humans will change production and lifestyle (image showing a sea of plastic in the Caribbean, as an example of a global problem) #womensart#EarthDay2018 pic.twitter.com/x115JlF6Nv
— #WOMENSART (@womensart1) April 22, 2018
today we celebrate the earth. our maker and provider. spend some time outside. plant something. sit under a tree. put your feet in the grass – feel that connection to mother earth ? ??#earthday2018 pic.twitter.com/L9T1DeYbXL
— greenwithin (@plantbasedvibes) April 22, 2018
Today is Earth Day – End Plastic Pollution! #EarthDay2018 #OneJamaicaFoundation ???? pic.twitter.com/JnaCY02Nic
— ONE Jamaica Foundation (@OneJamaica876) April 22, 2018
#EarthDay #EarthDay2018 pic.twitter.com/ak0GfcxYI3
— Tutor Doctor Of Scarborough (@TutorDocScarb) April 22, 2018
I’m bringing my three year old out today to clean up a local park for Earth Day.
Why? Because citizen activism should begin at a young age. Because I am my son’s role model. Because I want to show him that picking up pieces of garbage MAKES AN IMPACT. #EarthDay2018 pic.twitter.com/P14ckm1xBs — CassiePVC (@CassiePVC) April 22, 2018
Picture: Twitter – @Sarah_SKG_1983