CARING FOR THE EARTH

Apr 27, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

On Saturday April 22, Guyana joined more than 160 countries around the world to celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is meant to promote awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s ecosystem and to be in harmony with nature and the earth.
This year’s celebration focused on the real role that science plays in each of our lives. The event organizers described science as “a pillar of human freedom and prosperity” which fits neatly with this year’s theme “Marching for Science and Climate change.”
The recognition of Earth Day was reinforced at the Paris Conference on December 2015. The goal was to reduce global warming and protect the environment from further destruction. It was the world’s greatest diplomatic and political success as the leaders of the developed countries promised to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius and pledged US$100 billion to help the developing countries by 2020.
Earth Day is one of the most important and the most recognizable faces of the environmental movement. Activities associated with this year’s Earth Day included marches in several cities around the world, raising awareness about recycling, promoting green projects, and reducing the amount of energy consumed by nations.
The goal of the organizers of Earth Day is to encourage billions of people around the world to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to plant seven billion trees. Earth Day is 47 years old; it began in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Earth Day 1970 gave voice to the emerging consciousness which put environmental concerns on the front page.
It is a day in which people focus on the environment and encourage others to be environmentally friendly. Earth Day has helped to change human behaviour and has provoked policy changes. It has 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 has achieved a rare political and social alignment around the world with support from governments, political parties, labour unions, tycoons, University, college and high school students and many others who have not only opposed the destruction of the environment but also believe that the world should move towards greener and more sustainable economies.
The Internet is the principal and invaluable organizing tool of Earth Day. It has highlighted the esteemed status of Earth Day as the largest secular observance in the world. Guyanese from all across the country have joined billions of people around the world in promoting a clean and greener environment.
They believe that the environment should be protected for future generations and have joined this year’s activities which include garbage and litter pick-up, the unclogging of drains, culverts and the waterways, the planting of trees and educating the population on the importance of the environment.
President David Granger has told the nation that it is our duty to care for the earth and protect its resources so that they could provide sustenance and security for present and future generations. Air pollution causes more than two million premature deaths each year.
Earth Day has sent the world leaders a clear message that citizens wanted quick and decisive action on global warming, clean energy, an end to pollution, oil spills, and unsafe nuclear power plants. Control of raw sewage, toxic dumps and pesticides, an end to the destruction of the forests and extinction of wildlife.
Earth Day transcends all national borders, preserves all geographical integrities, crosses oceans, mountains and races and religion. It brings people of all lineages from around the world into one common accord.

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