Time to Embrace Earth!

April 22nd is the annual celebration of the Modern Environmental Movement in 1970. It is known as Earth Day, or International Mother Earth Day.

ORIGINS OF EARTH DAY 

On 22 April 1970, 20 million people gathered in the streets of the United States to protest against environmental destruction. This protest was sparked by the Santa Barbara oil spill and its devastating impacts on the environment. In December of the same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency, which was dedicated to clean up the nation’s natural resources. Rising awareness of climate change and the need for a clean environment grew amongst many American voters. 

“It took this basket of issues that we now call “the environment” and elevated them spectacularly in the public consciousness.”

~ Denis Hayes, organiser of the first Earth Day

WHY IS EARTH DAY IMPORTANT?

On a broader scale, Earth Day teaches the importance of conserving and protecting the environment. As society progresses into a more technocratic one, we have to remember the importance of protecting the Earth for future generations. 

The rapid development of society has only caused air pollution, global warming and deforestation to worsen, causing the temperature of the Earth to rise and multiple animal species to go extinct. 

Here are some reasons why having an environmentally conscious society is important:

  • Protecting the environment protects humanity- Pollution has caused natural resources like the air and water to be unclean. This also causes the quality of food to be affected, leading to the ingestion of toxic substances.
  • Forests provide raw materials such as food, rubber and timber.
  • Forests provide habitats for multiple species- Destroying forests would lead to the destruction of the ecosystem, causing more species to be endangered/go extinct

WHAT CAN WE DO TO LEAD AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS LIFE ?

Being environmentally conscious for one day is a step in the right direction. However, small changes in our lifestyle can reduce our carbon footprint, making Earth Day everyday! 

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!

  • REDUCE your carbon footprint- Less private cars on the road means less carbon emissions polluting the air! Riding your bike or taking the bus not only allows you to experience the sights and sounds of Singapore, but is also a great way to spend quality time with your family!
  • Use REUSABLE items- When shopping for groceries, bring a big reusable bag instead of using the plastic bags provided at grocery stores! Singapore uses about 1.76 billion plastic items each year, 860 million of which are plastic bags from supermarkets! Beyond just taking up space in landfills, turtles and other sea creatures often mistake plastic bags to be jellyfish, consuming such waste.
  • RECYCLE or UPCYCLE your clothes- Instead of buying a new outfit every few months, thrift! Places like Lucky Plaza and Salvation Army have one-of-a-kind pieces that are cheap and can reduce your consumption. Often, these stores allow you to donate your old clothes in exchange for ‘new’ pieces. Your pre-loved clothes can become a part of someone else’s new wardrobe (and vice versa).Upcycling clothes and thinking of new ways to style old pieces is another way of recycling an old wardrobe! By taking in the waist of an oversized dress or mashing two pieces of clothing together, upcycling works your brain muscles and reduces fabric wastage. 

Questions to Consider:

1. What other reasons can you think of to save the Earth?

2. What other changes can you make to your lifestyle to make the world a better place? 

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