Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Earth Day 2020 Is Earth Day #50



Today is Earth Day #50. I recall the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. I was a high school student and one of the 20 million Americans (10% of the U.S. population at the time) who took to the streets, met on school campuses and in hundreds of cities held events to demand a new way forward for our planet.

That first Earth Day is credited with launching the modern environmental movement and is now recognized as the planet’s largest civic event.

The events this year will certainly be different because of the global pandemic and, sadly, because I just don't sense as great a concern for Earth day as in the past. 

The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action. Action on climate change is seen as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary and the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world.habitable.

There are some efforts to make Earth Day into a time for digital activities and education and that is good in his time of students learning digitally and at home. But for real change, we need to get out and make changes locally and think and act as best we can globally.


No comments: