Why Should You Celebrate Earth Day?

By Devyani Singh 

Earth is the only planet of the 8 in our solar system that is known to sustain life (8 planets and not 9 since Pluto has been stripped of its ‘Planet’ Tag. It’s alright Pluto; I’m not a planet either!) 

Beautiful forms of life have developed on planet earth- Plants, Animals, micro-organisms- Terrestrial and Marine and that too in big numbers. Along the way, we humans have forgotten what being compassionate towards the planet is about and why we should do it in the first place. Caring for the environment is not a new concept. In his developing years, it was environment that fulfilled man’s need- air, food, shelter, clothing and water. Many ancient civilizations worshiped nature and planned their cities taking inspirations from nature itself. 

It was when man prioritized greed over need, his equation with the environment changed. The environment was merely a source from where material could be recklessly extracted and they would magically replenish. Our atrocities towards the planet continued at a very rapid pace with the swell of industrialization taking over the planet. We started facing problems like Global Warming, climate change, wetland degradation, species loss and a rise of diseases was also observed.

In 1970, a senator from Wisconsin, USA, Gaylord Nelson first conceived of this day. The senator was worried about the rate of industrialization and the careless attitude of everyone towards our environment. It was envisaged to promote the idea of ecology, to encourage respect for life on Earth, and highlight growing concerns about different kinds of pollution. Over 20 million Americans participated in events to mark the first Earth Day and it turned out to be so contagious that today, over a billion people from all over the globe celebrate Earth Day.  

So why should you celebrate Earth Day? It is because we should be thankful of the earth’s resources and all the amenities that have been provided to us and protect it simply because it is our home. 

EARTH DAY IDEAS: 
Some genuine and a few funny ideas to celebrate Earth day! 
1. SKIP THE BATH!
      If you’re one of those lazy kinds… this one’s for you. On Earth day skip taking a bath. A daily shower isn't a matter of health; it's a matter of comfort. And for the comfort of a 10-minute shower, we consume up to 50 gallons (189 liters) of water [source: EPA]. To relax in a nice bath, it takes up to 70 gallons (264 liters) [source: EPA]. A typical family in Africa gets by on a tenth of that for an entire day, including drinking water [source: WPI].And showering daily can deprive your body of essential oils that keep your skin moist and help your immunity! Just remember to keep washing your hands!(That’s more important than anything)  
    
        2.  VOLUNTEER FOR OR ATTEND AN EARTH DAY EVENT
How is my attending an Earth day event making any difference? Knowledge and inspiration! Seeing likeminded individuals can boost one’s morale and it’ll help you take an initiative sometime. What more, knowing things firsthand can work wonders for your G.K. So step up and participate!

3. PLANT A TREE/ PROTECT A TREE
There is no better way to give back to the environment then by planting a tree. Turn it into a group activity- ask your friends, family and community to help!  If you don’t have enough space, adopt existing trees and take care of them. Keep an eye out for illegal hacking or trimming gof trees. Be a true Green Protector.   
     Take Inspiration from Jhadav Payeng! 

 4. COMPOST
I know, sounds like a tough thing to do. But it’s really very easy. The first step is actually to learn how to segregate your waste into decomposable and non-decomposable items. Well-made compost is better than store bought fertilizers and is free of cost.   
Here are a few links to help you:
http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Compost

      5. NO CAR DAY!
Make Earth Day a ‘No Car Day’. Swap it for public transport or for a cycle. If you don’t know how to cycle then make a point to learn how to ride one by WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY (5th June). Can you beat the clock?
Those of you who know how to cycle can join us at Sanjay Gandhi National park at 7.30AM on 22nd April 2013 where we’ll be cycling in the park, appreciating Mumbai’s own City Forest!
  
6. EARTH DAY EVERYDAY!
Celebrate Earth day every day. Switch to a more sustainable lifestyle and think of ways of making the Earth a better planet to live in.
And if you think of something really cool, we’ll love to hear about it. Do share your views with us!
Till then, Think Green. Stay Green! 



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