The environmental movement
is one of the most successful social change movements. Popularizing Earth Day
celebrations can be credited with bringing the movement to the mainstream. Through
grassroots efforts, festivals, fairs, assemblies and concerts have helped popularize
concern for our environment in the public's mind. Since so many people participate
in Earth Day activities, Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to get people to
tap-into the better world movement, so that they can find the inspiration
and encouragement to continue activities for a more peaceful, just and sustainable
world all year long.
When
is Earth Day? Actually, there are 3 Earth Days - 3 dates that are dedicated to
helping raise awareness about the health and well being of the land, skies and
water of our planet Earth. The original Earth Day is celebrated on the Spring
Equinox each year (In 2006 it falls on March 20). April 22 is the date
that most people know as Earth Day. Both of these Earth Days were first celebrated
in 1970. In 1972, the United Nations designated June 5 as World Environment
Day to commemorate the opening of the Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm
that year, which ultimately led to the creation of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), the main UN body devoted to protecting our environment.
There
are many different ecological issues to raise awareness about, on Earth Day and
all year long - global climate change, protecting wildlife habitat, preventing
pollution and cleaning up polluted air, water and land, conserving our natural
resources, and many other issues … What's your ecological passion?
