“Over the
next five years, as Earth Day moves closer to its 50th anniversary, we’re
calling on you to help us achieve one of our most ambitious goals yet —we’re
planting 7.8 billion trees and we’re starting now.
Trees will
be the first of five major goals we are undertaking in honor of the five-year
countdown to our 50th anniversary. On their own and together, these initiatives
will make a significant and measurable impact on the Earth and will serve as
the foundation of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for all.”
Quote
from: http://www.earthday.org/
Earth day is April 22, 2016. Earth Day is the anniversary of the modern environmental movement of 1970. The idea of Earth day was created by Gaylord
Nelson in 1969 after the Santa Barbara, California oil spill and inspired by the
student movements of the times. People were becoming more aware of water, air
and other types of pollution. Nelson believed if he fueled the emerging
environmental rage, the government would start to recognize neglect of the
Earth a more serious matter. It was decided that there should be a day to
recognize the Earth, the pollution, and to teach people about the environment.
April 22, 1970 became the ‘set day’ because it generally happened to fall
between spring break and final exams. On this day 20 million people went to
seminars and had meetings in parks and other places to demonstrate how to
maintain a healthy environment.
As the 50-year anniversary approaches on in the year 2020,
an aspiring goal has set the bar very high for humanity and Mother Earth. The
objective is to have 7.8 billion, Yes! 7.8 billion trees planted. No one person
can do this alone. However, if every person plants at least one or two trees,
we will well surpass our goal. I will plant one tree and tell a friend. A friend
will plant one tree and tell another friend, causing a chain reaction. 7.4
billion People plus live on this planet. It is our job to take action to save
the earth. This would also be a fun class or school project. Students could
take field trips to parks or a fundraiser could be conducted to pay for a
larger growing area on school grounds.
Several individuals might ask why
this is a reasonable plan, but they might not be taking into consideration how
much of the air that we breathe could be shortening the life expectancy of each
generation, or how much of the water we drink could be contaminated with
chemicals that will circulate in our bloodstream for years. Yes, this isn’t a
solution to these problems, but we all have to start someplace to improve our
environment. Eventually, taking care of the Earth will become a habit. Planting
trees isn’t the only way to celebrate earth day. You could pick up litter you
see in the street, or even start at home by conserving water and electricity or
even to produce something better from recycled items, which would otherwise go
to the trash.
Earth day is all about taking care
of the planet we live on. If we don’t who will? If we take care of the earth,
we could prevent global warming from getting worse or even stop it, we could
lower the cost of environmental expenses too! So let’s take care of the earth
or else it will expire way before time.
Written by: Grace Okoro
Eight Grade/Spanish Student
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