Earth Day
The third planet from the sun, our Earth is the only planet in the universe where life is known to exist. Assessed to have been formed 4.54 billion years ago, the Earth is the sole planet in our solar system where favourable environment and temperature conditions have made possible the existence of millions of species, including humans.
Since mankind came into being, it had to devise newer and better things to assist its preservation in a mostly hostile ambience. Many of man's actions, such as the invention of automoblies, deforestation, setting up of industries, improper disposal of waste products, had been aimed at his own good but affected the earth either in a direct or an indirect manner.
Earth Day strives to set right these wrongdoings of mankind and combat the various problems that nature has already begun to be affected by.
Interestingly, Earth Day is not a single holiday. It is one of two annual observances, both intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The first one, known as the Equinoctial Earth Day, is celebrated on the Vernal Equinox(March 21), the day Spring starts in the Northern Hemisphere. The tradition of Earth Day observance in spring was founded in 1969 by peace activist John McConnell. A second Earth Day is celebrated during autumn in the southern hemisphere. This was established by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as the direct result of an environmental conference that he attended in 1970. This Earth Day in April, better known as World Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22.
The Earth Day observances typically include planting of trees, picking up roadside trash, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches. Not a public holiday, this unique occassion sees no cease in civil activities. The event is usually celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform activities that contribute to the welfare of the earth. In most countries, many government and non-government organizations come together to organise various events for the propagation of the ideals that Earth Day stands for. Various seminars are held to raise awareness among common people about current environmental conditions and inform them of ways by which the damages to the ecology can be countered. Recycling and conservation is encouraged and promoted to the audience, often with giant-screen video demonstrations. Citizens are encouraged to sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction. Special programs dealing with environmental issues are aired by various television channels specially for the occassion.
Earth Day usually referred can be done by trying to keep our world from a variety of damage. We can take the step for save our earth :
Plant a tree
This is one of the best things you can do for your mother Earth. Plant a sapling or bury a few seeds in your garden soil and watch it grow. If you do not have a garden, buy a pot and fill it with soil. Bury the seeds into the soil and moisten them daily to let them sprout seedlings in a few weeks. It is a small but significant way on your part to contribute more oxygen to the atmosphere.
Save Power
Energy saving is not the latest fad, but an important step to curb emission and the overuse of natural resources like coal and petrol. Did you know that a single computer left on all day long consumes about 1000 kw electricity in a year? That equals to over a ton of carbon emissions in a year. Make it an Earth Day resolution to switch off all electrical devices when not in use. If possible, do not keep your computer on stanby and shut it down instead. It is better if you buy laptops as they consume about 1/5th of the power drawn by a desktop. Even if you buy a desktop, get an LCD screen. Do not charge your cellphones, laptops and digital cameras unless they are fully out of power. If you are still one of those who use incandescent bulbs at home, you are adviced to replace them immediately with compact fluorescents (CFLs). These use four times less energy and last eight times longer. Besides being environment-friendly, the CFLs are also pocket-friendly for you.
Save water
Turn off the tap when you are not using it. Billions of gallons of water go waste every year due to misuse and almost everyone of us are guilty of this offence. Do not leave the tap running while you brush you teeth, shave or take a bath.
Recycle
Did you know that a little strip of plastic takes a million years to disintegrate? And that every plastic bag you throw away becomes a toxic waste and can kill cattle and fish? So stop using plastic bags and switch to a cloth bag or a paper bag instead from this Earth Day. If you find it difficult, reuse your old plastic bags to buy the things you need.
Save Fuel
The more fuel you use, the more are you using up the earth's resources and releasing harmful gases like CO2 that pollute the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. So cover all short distances by cycle or better still, walk. It will save you some bucks, keep the earth clean and also benefit your health.
