Countdown to 50th Earth Day
Wednesday 22 January saw the three-month countdown to the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day begin. On 22 April 1970, 20 million individuals demanded greater protections for our planet. This became the world’s first Earth Day as millions took to the streets, college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and call for action.
To mark 50 years of action for our planet, Earth Day Network, the global coordinator of Earth Day, vowed to ‘bring Earth Day back to its roots, building an intergenerational movement demanding change.’ They added: ‘The urgency has never been greater, and the stakes have never been higher – we are now in an environmental emergency and a climate breakdown.’
Do you have an event planned for Earth Day?
We would love to hear from any local groups in Berkhamsted, Tring and surrounding villages, planning any activities in support of this to submit your events to our website or email your press release along with a high res jpeg image to info@livingmags.info.
The History
Earth Day 1970 gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet.
In the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, the environment was in a deplorable state: air pollution was impacting human health, oil spills were devastating our oceans and killing marine species, rivers were so polluted that they literally caught fire.
Earth Day 1970 would come to provide a voice to an emerging environmental consciousness, channelling the energy of the anti-war protest movement to put environmental concerns on the front page.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — mobilised for action, taking to the streets, college campuses and auditoriums to protest the state of our planet and call for a new way forward.
By the end of 1970, 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.
Earth Day 2020
Earth Day Network is building the largest, most diverse global mobilisation in history in defence of the environment. ‘Our world needs a united response for bold action’, says Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. ‘Our campaigns are intended to activate at least a billion people worldwide to meet Earth Day’s 2020 theme of climate action’, she adds. You can read more about the planned campaigns by visiting the Earth Day website.
‘The true value of Earth Day in 2020 will be demonstrated in the long-term global outcomes of new environmental policy, community resilience and a healthier future for our planet,’ concludes Rogers.
So don’t forget, if you have any Earth Day activities planned, submit your events to our website or email info@livingmags.info and we’ll be happy to help you spread the word!