Today, April 22nd, is Día de la Tierra or Earth Day, a yearly celebration of the planet and promotion of environmental protection. The first observance of Earth Day was in 1970 and it is now celebrated by more than 1 billion people worldwide. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth.”
To mark the occasion, many environmental organizations are hosting events and initiatives. The Sierra Club is organizing a virtual screening of the climate change documentary “Kiss the Ground” followed by a panel discussion (sierraclub.org). The Jane Goodall Institute is hosting a webinar on the connection between biodiversity loss and pandemics (janegoodall.org).
In addition to events, businesses are also using Earth Day to promote their sustainability efforts. Google Maps is introducing a feature that will help users choose more eco-friendly routes when driving (blog.google). Chipotle is offering a promotion where customers can receive free plant-based food if they make a purchase using a certain code (chipotle.com).
Earth Day is also an opportunity for individuals to make lifestyle changes that benefit the planet. The Earth Day Network has a list of actions people can take, such as reducing meat consumption and using reusable bags and containers (earthday.org).
While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way Earth Day is observed this year, it has also highlighted the connection between human activities and the environment. The reduced transportation and industrial activity during lockdowns led to temporary reductions in air pollution (bbc.com). However, the potential long-term effects of the pandemic on the environment are still uncertain.
Overall, Día de la Tierra serves as a reminder of the importance of taking care of our planet and working towards sustainable solutions.
